Businesses to close January 9 to honor student martyrs
ALL PUBLIC OFFICES and businesses will be closed Friday, January . 9 to mark the events of 1964.
The order was given by President Juan Carlos Varela, announced the Secretary of State Communication .
January. 9 is a national day of sovereignty marking the anniversary of the deaths of Panamanian students in confrontation with US military personnel as they attempted to raise the Panamanian flag in the former Canal Zone.
Their martyrdom opened the door that led to the signing of an agreement to hand over the canal to Panama in 2000.
flags will be flown at half staff as an expression of mourning for the students who died on this date.