Varela’s high  speed  dream train to Chiriqui nixed

 The high speed train linking  Panama to Chiriquí, the dream project of former president Juan Carlos Varela during his honeymoon dance with China is not in the plans of the administration of President Laurentino Cortizo he said on Friday, September 6.

The project had been criticized as not a priority with so many other needs waiting on the sidelines.

Cortizo said that there would be other projects such as the connection of the Cinta Costera and the Amador Convention Center, the connection of the province of Veraguas (Arena, Mariato) to the province of Los Santos and the extension of the Panama-Colón highway towards María Chiquita.

Varela had presented, a feasibility study to build the train between the cities of Panama and David. ” The project is economically feasible because of the social profitability it represents,” he said on March 15.

The feasibility study was part of the non-reimbursable cooperation projects between Panama and China.

For 15 months, Chinese experts worked together with a high-level commission to specify the analysis of the soils, economic impact, logistic studies, routes and strategic locations for the stations.