Marchers allegedly paid to demonstrate in Casco Veijo

 A presidential repudiation  over an agreement reached with  a UN body over the extension of the Cinta Costera has created of outrage among opponents who claim there is incitement to class warfare with Chorrillo residents paid to march through Casco Veijo.

On Monday June 27, a few days after it was annouced that a Panamanian delegation had agreed with the Heritage committee of Unesco ( UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to stop work on the third phase of the project, President, Ricardo Martinelli, said there would be "no break" in the development.

Sebastian Paniza of Icomos Panama, an advisory group to Unesco, said that every day we are disappointed with President Martinelli, and that he was playing with the country's heritage.
"No one can become the subject of class struggle, when in reality it is the preservation of the historic site," he said.
Hildegard Vásquez, executive director of the Calicanto Foundation said alread the president’s response was expected , because of his peculiar form of governing.
 "The President will not listen to Unesco. This issue should be technical and not political He is driving the government," she said, after recognizing that Martinelli has now ruled the tunnel as an option for the third phase. {jathumbnail off}
Patrizia Pinzon, of AVACA ( the Neighborhood Association and Friends of Casco Viejo) said that the tunnel option was proposed by the government itself, and does not understand why the alternative he now proposed had previously been rejected.
For Fernando Diaz, a member of the Alliance for Panama City said it was a pity that the the call by Unesco and civil society to evaluate the three options (a tunnel, a coastal strip and a causeway) was rejected.
 "It is necessary that this issue is handled with all the necessary transparency, and that he fulfills the commitments made by the Panamanian delegation last week in France," he said.
PRD presidential candidate Samuel Lewis Navarro said "It is indicative of a government that doesn’t believes in dialogue, and his method and style is to impose projects and views, trying to buy first and then discuss,"
 Milton Henriquez, who heads the Popular Party, said it was unfortunate that the president was affecting Panama's image with his outbursts. "That he doesn’t listen and likes to do what he wants, is something that unfortunately we are getting used to " he said.
 Panama's former Tourism chief, Ruben Blades said the landfill project around the old city must be analyzed by technicians and Unesco and option of placing piles to create a causeway would be a "horror".
He advocated making Casco Viejo is a pedestrian-only area, perhaps with a tram that connects the area with the Gehry Museum and local transport would be golf carts, which do not disrupt the structures of old buildings.
Olga Cardenas of the Chorillo Women's Movement who appears in a hastily produced TV commercial issued by the Government to reinforce Martinelli’s statements in favor of phase three, said she has not received any money to appear.
On Tuesday a second parade of slogan shouting residents of El Chorrillo in uniform orange shirts and headbands to marched into Casco Veijo for the second time.

 A source told La Prensa that the protesters received six dollars to participate in the event.
Meanwhile La Prensa reported that the five government representative who went to Paris to attend the Unesco meeting spent $17, 644, on airfare.
 The Minister of Public Works, Federico Suarez, the director of the National Culture Institute (INAC), María Eugenia Herrera, director of Heritage, Sandra Cerrud received a per diem of $700, while the adviser Inac Aida Orillac and coordinating link between INAC and the Office of Casco Antiguo Carlos Martinez received $ 600 a day. The delegation that traveled to France stayed at the Pullman Paris near the Eiffel Tower, at a cost of $ 338 per person, per night.