Panama sends message of regret over singer’s murder

Three days after the killing of world renowned Argentinian singer-songwriter Facundo Cabral, the Panama government Tuesday expressed "deep  regret".

Carbral, 74, was killed in Guatemala City on Saturday  when a gang of assassins went after the man who was driving the car Henry Fariña , who owns the Elite strip club  in Panama.

Cabral's body arrived in Argentina on Tuesday amidst scenes of national mourning.

In a statement released by Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Ricardo Martinelli expressed "sincerest condolences" to the "family and friends" of the artist, and issued "a profound message of solidarity" for the "irreparable loss" of Cabral.

 Martinelli said that Panama supports international efforts to find the people responsible for the shooting.

Two men, who had been following Fariña were arrested in separate raids in Guatemala City on Tuesday. The men were allegedly caught on tape by security cameras at Cabral's hotel and also along the highway on the way to the airport. Prosecutor Claudia Paz said they probably didn’t know who Cabral was.

."One of them  is the head of a band of assassins," Paz told reporters. "He put together this group to commit murders." 

Farinas, a Nicaraguan national who owns a chain of Elite strip clubs in Latin America remains in hospital. Prosecutors say he has no criminal record and the motive for the shooting remains unclear.

Cabral, sang protest songs famous across Latin America and beyond and was a UN "peace messenger".

The motive for the attack was not yet clear, authorities said, although they believe the criminal mastermind is likely a foreigner from elsewhere in Central America.

Guatemala is one of the world's most dangerous countries with a rate of 50 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2010 – six times the global average.

For more on Cabral’s life: http://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/3047-panama-strip-club-owner-survives-attack-that-killed-famed-singer.html