A Panama Judge Orders the Protection of the Land where the Chinese Monument Demolished by Order of Stefany Peñalba Once Stood.
The measure suspends any act, project or activity within the property and prohibits interventions of any nature at the site while the investigation proceeds.
A Court of Guarantees ordered on Friday, September 4, precautionary measures on the property where the Mirador del Puente de Las Américas was located, which was demolished on December 27, 2025. According to a statement from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the decision responds to a request from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, which is investigating the possible commission of crimes against public administration, abuse of authority and other conduct related to the demolition of the monument.
The Prosecutor’s Office began the investigations after the demolition of the viewpoint, which occurred on December 27, 2025, a measure that was ordered by Stefany Peñalba pictured below, mayor of Arraiján. The aforementioned space housed a Chinese monument erected as a symbol of friendship between Panama and the People’s Republic of China. Its removal occurred months after members of the Chinese community in the country expressed their concerns about new projects by the Arraiján Municipality, which included a complete transformation of the viewpoint and the demolition of existing structures.
With these measures, the land remains subject to the restrictions established by the Court while the authorities determine whether there were irregularities in the decisions that led to the demolition and whether any person incurred criminal liability. The Attorney General’s Office reported that it will continue with the investigations and will pursue criminal charges before the courts of justice, in accordance with the Constitution and current legislation. However, it does not mention who the people being investigated are.
