Ricardo Martinelli in Colombia Harshly Criticizes Mayor Stefany Peñalba
Former President Ricardo Martinelli tells her that she should worry more about what the district really needs.
Former President Ricardo Martinelli did not remain silent about the demolition of a monument to the Chinese community and harshly criticized Mayor Stefany Peñalba, stating that she should be more concerned about what the district really needs and less about tearing down a historical landmark. Martinelli pointed out that in the 21st century, it’s unacceptable to demolish something Taiwan erected in 2024 to recognize the labor and effort of the Chinese community in Panama.
He added that this is especially true if public funds are going to be used to fix the “disaster” left by the mayor. The former president believes it’s important to consider all the other communities that have contributed to the country: Jamaica, Barbados, Italy, Spain, Greece, and those from North, Central, and South America. “They all did their part, some even gave their lives,” he wrote on social media. Although the mayor has already admitted her mistake and promised to rebuild the monument, the Chinese community remains uneasy and is demanding an investigation into the incident. Below, the monument has been demolished, and removed from the scene in the cover of night on January 27th.
They tried to contact Peñalba, pictured below, several times but received no response until Saturday night, the 27th. The government assures that arrangements are already being made to rebuild the sculpture, in collaboration with the Chinese community and the Ministry of Culture, on its original site. But in the neighborhood, everyone is talking about how it all happened in secret and late at night, and that this is going to be a major issue.
