Spain Donates a Seville-Style Water Fountain to Panama for the Presidential Palace

Spain officially handed over to the Panamanian government Tuesday a Sevillian-style fountain, inspired by the Gothic Alcázar Palace in Seville, which was installed in the Palacio de las Garzas, the presidential headquarters.  “This water fountain symbolizes the deep brotherhood that exists between both countries.  It is a gift from the children of Spain to the brothers of Panama,” said Spanish ambassador Guzmán Palacios. His embassy, ​​along with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, promoted an initiative conceived by Panama’s first lady, Maricel Cohen. 

The yellow fountain, with shades of blue, green, red, and orange, is made of tiles with figures of herons, an emblematic bird of Panama, “creating a symbolic bridge between both cultures across water,” according to official information.  The heron is a huge white bird, emblematic of Panama, which until a few years ago was commonly seen inside the presidential palace.  The first lady, who was accompanied by her husband and President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, also celebrated the fact that the fountain has brought numerous birds to the area.

Sevillian Style

The creator of the fountain is ceramist Lourdes Gutiérrez, a Sevillian artist living in Panama who used the dry rope technique to create it, “achieving a composition that fuses Sevillian-style colors and motifs with elements representative of Panamanian identity,” according to information from the embassy.  Gutiérrez was inspired by the designs that decorate the Gothic Alcázar Palace in Seville, which houses the chapel of Santa María de la Antigua, which gives its name to the first Spanish settlement in Panama and the mainland of the American continent, according to a statement from the Spanish diplomatic mission. 

“I had the privilege of designing this beautiful fountain for the Palacio de las Garzas, featuring the herons, the flowers, and the fascination it evoked in Spain when it arrived in Portobelo (Caribbean Panama). That wonder and exoticism are represented,” artist Gutiérrez told reporters.  The base of the fountain incorporates the four cardinal points, “offering guidance to visitors who will have a spectacular panoramic view of the city.”  The Spanish Embassy presented this gift to Panama together with the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Panama. A dozen companies that are members of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce contributed financially to the fountain’s construction. 

“For us, it’s a connection that Panama and Spain have had for many years. And we have a Spanish fountain that underwent a renovation; it’s no longer 100 percent Spanish, but we want to reclaim it. That’s why we chose to build a fountain here outside” at the entrance, says First Lady Maricel Cohen.

Mulino Arrives in Spain with Key Announcements for Panama’s Economy

The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, arrived in Seville, Spain, to begin his official visit with high-level meetings, including an audience with King Philip IV and meetings with the leaders of Spain and Ecuador. The EU, CAF and the IDB are part of the agenda that the president will carry out during his official visit.  Mulino, who will be in Seville until next Sunday, will also meet with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. She is the highest representative of this entity, considered the political arm of the European Union, which recently recommended excluding Panama from the list of high-risk jurisdictions for money laundering and terrorist financing. 

In addition to these bilateral meetings, Mulino will participate as a speaker at the forum held by the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) in Seville, as well as a meeting with the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn. Important economic announcements for Panama will be made at both meetings.  The Panamanian president arrived in Seville accompanied by the First Lady, Maricel Cohen de Mulino; the Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez Acha; and the Secretary of Economic Affairs, Kristelle Getzler.