The President of the Arraiján Council Says ‘It Was A Surprise to Us About the Demolition of the Chinese Monument’

According to Luzdenia Oliver pictured above, neither he nor the other council members had prior knowledge of the demolition.  He stated that the event took both the district representatives and the community of Arraiján by surprise. The mayor of Arraiján, Stefany Peñalba pictured below, was absent during the last session of the year of the Municipal Council. Neither the Council nor the community knew about the demolition of the monument commemorating 150 years of Chinese presence in Panama, at least according to the president of the Municipal Council, Luzdenia Oliver.  According to Oliver, Peñalba told them by phone that the resolution through which the monument was created was not renewed. 

He also mentioned that he contacted Peñalba by phone: “I spoke with her today by phone, in which she reiterated what I had previously told her: that she maintains her position that she did it for safety reasons, due to the structural damage that existed in those facilities, and that at no time did we have anything to do with this, since we were unaware of the events that occurred.”  Oliver made it clear that they were also surprised to learn that the monument had been demolished.  It should be remembered that Mayor Stefany Peñalba was denounced for abuse of authority and against the historical heritage of the Nation, after the demolition of the monument. 

Beijing Demands Thorough Investigation from Panama After Demolition of Chinese Monument (+Taiwan)

The monument “was a testament to the sacrifice of thousands of Chinese workers who gave their lives in the construction of the trans-isthmian railway and the Panama Canal,” said the spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Following the demolition of the Monument to the 150th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Chinese in Panama, carried out on the night of Saturday, December 27, the government of the People’s Republic of China, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requested that Panama conduct a thorough investigation and repair the wrongful acts committed by local authorities. At a press conference held on Monday, December 29, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian described the destruction of the monument—located at the Bridge of the Americas—as an act of an “extremely heinous nature.” Lin emphasized that China has lodged solemn diplomatic representations with the Panamanian state, expressing deep dissatisfaction over an incident that profoundly hurts the sensitivities of the Chinese community. “This monument was not just stone; it was testimony to the sacrifice of thousands of Chinese workers who gave their lives in the construction of the trans-isthmian railway and the Panama Canal,” he stated.

In line with this position, the Chinese Embassy in Panama also expressed its indignation at the demolition. Ambassador Xu Xueyuan recounted on social media that she personally went to the site after receiving the alert and found the structure already destroyed. According to her account, Chinese citizens attempted to protect the remains of the monument but were prevented from doing so. “The measure not only brutally trampled on the collective feelings of the 300,000 Chinese citizens and people of Chinese descent in Panama but also seriously damaged the friendly feelings of the Chinese people toward the Panamanian people,” the Embassy said in a statement issued on Monday. According to Xueyuan, the monument—now “smashed to pieces”—signified “171 years of life, blood, and dedication of the Chinese community.” In the same vein, she condemned the fact that a symbol of friendship between the two nations had been reduced to nothing, asking at the same time: “Why?”

The mayor of Arraiján, Stefany Peñalba, justified the decision as part of a plan to “recover public spaces” in order to promote business and tourism, presenting designs that exclude the monument. While the municipal government claimed that the 20-year concession had expired, the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Association of Panama clarified that formal communication had been attempted since early 2024 to renew the permit. China’s Embassy also offered financial support for the renovation of the park. Nevertheless, municipal authorities remained silent in the face of these proposals and proceeded with the demolition without prior notice.

Geopolitics and External Interference

An analysis by Sun Yanfeng, an expert from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, suggests that the forces behind the decision were not purely domestic. Sun noted that the demolition reflects “US pressure” on certain Panamanian authorities. According to the expert, dismantling the monument during a holiday period indicates an attempt by Arraiján authorities to avoid public scrutiny while yielding to external interests seeking to limit China’s cultural presence in Panama, especially in strategic areas near the Panama Canal.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino described the demolition as an act of barbarism. As a reparative measure, Mulino stated in a post on X that he is “coordinating with the Minister of Culture, Maruja Herrera, to explore the possibility of rebuilding the Chinese monument,” adding that “this does not set aside the legal responsibility of the mayor.” He further stressed that “an investigation should be initiated immediately” in response to what he called “an unforgivable act of irrationality.”

The Chinese Legacy

The monument, originally financed by the Chinese community and the Chinese government in 2004, honors the thousands of workers who arrived nearly two centuries ago to build the trans-isthmian railway and the Canal. “That community is traditional in our country, with generations firmly established, and it deserves full respect,” Mulino emphasized.

They are Requesting the Suspension of Stefany Peñalba for Alleged Overreach of Authority

This action constitutes the third complaint filed against the mayor, following the demolition of the monument, which occurred on the night of Saturday, December 27.

Panama West: A new administrative complaint was filed this Monday with the Governor’s Office against the mayor of Arraiján, Stefany Peñalba, requesting her suspension from office for alleged overreach of authority, while investigations related to the demolition of the monument commemorating 150 years of Chinese presence in Panama are underway.

This action constitutes the third complaint filed against the mayor, following the demolition of the monument, which occurred on the night of Saturday, December 27.  Ileana Tejera de Lee, one of the plaintiffs, explained that it is up to Governor Marylín Vallarino to make a decision, as she is the administrative head of the process.

Above, the monument before demolition. The current mayor of the District of Arraiján, Panama, is Stefany Peñalba. The mayor heads the municipal government and is involved in the local council’s administration.  Recent news coverage has focused on a controversy involving the Arraiján mayor’s office over the recent demolition of a monument honoring the Chinese community in Panama.  Below, the demolition of the monument.

Key details related to this event:

• Mayor Peñalba stated the decision was part of a plan to “recover public spaces,” while the municipal government claimed the concession for the monument had expired.
• Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino condemned the action as an “unforgivable act of irrationality” and announced the federal government would rebuild the monument.
• The Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Association of Panama clarified that attempts to renew the permit had been ongoing since early 2024. 

Demolition Puts Mayor in a Bind and Provokes a Complaint from China

Yesterday, the Prosecutor’s Office of La Chorrera carried out proceedings at the Mayor’s Office of Arraiján.  The decision to demolish the Chinese monument located at the Mirador del Puente de las Américas not only unleashed a storm of criticism against the mayor of Arraiján, Stefany Peñalba, but now places her at the center of formal complaints, inspections and reactions that crossed borders.  From early hours yesterday, personnel from the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor ‘s Office of the Public Ministry were present in the area where the structure was demolished on Saturday night, in order to collect information and carry out forensic photographs of the site. 

Simultaneously, the Prosecutor’s Office of La Chorrera carried out investigations within the Arraiján Mayor’s Office, seeking to clarify what motivated the demolition, under what arguments and who authorized the intervention.  The case gained international attention. China’s Foreign Ministry reacted strongly, calling the action “deplorable.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian emphasized that the monument was not merely a structure, but a symbol of the historical ties of effort and solidarity that have united Panama and China since the 19th century. 

He also recalled that the work served as a memorial to the thousands of Chinese workers who participated in the construction of the Trans-Isthmian Railway and the Panama Canal, many of whom lost their lives during those works.  China confirmed that it lodged a formal protest with Panama over the demolition and requested that the facts be clarified, the irregularities of the local government be rectified, and the negative impact be repaired as soon as possible. 

The statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry came a day after President José Raúl Mulino openly criticized the demolition and announced that, together with the Ministry of Culture, they would evaluate not only the reconstruction of the monument, but also granting it the status of Historical Heritage to prevent similar events from happening again.  Mulino was clear and direct: even if the State intervenes to restore the work, the legal responsibility falls on the mayor of Arraiján. 

Complaints have already been filed against official Peñalba pictured above. Among them, a criminal complaint was filed by lawyer Edna Ramos Chue with the Primary Care Section of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office for the alleged crime of abuse of authority.  For her part, Stefany Peñalba admitted her responsibility for the decision and assured that the mayor’s office would undertake the renovation of the Mirador, promising a focus on promoting Panamanian and multicultural tourism. The mayor’s office justified the demolition by citing the critical state of the structures, which necessitated urgent intervention for safety reasons.  However, the explanations have failed to quell public outrage.