Call for cancelation of Casco Viejo carnival events

The announcement of the celebration of some Carnival activities in Casco Viejo with parades, troupes, coronation of queens, concerts and other events continues to rile the  community which has called for the cancelation  of planned events.

Representatives of the Association of Neighbors and Friends of Casco  (Avaca) expressed their concern about the activities proposed in the area and requested that the program be suspended, because it was not consulted and they fear that the cultural heritage will be affected with massive activities.

“We are concerned about the possibility of massive events being held, with parades, stages and live bands that could damage the parks, generate excess noise and also maximize the problems of garbage disposal in the area that is  a cultural heritage,” said. Octavio del Moral, president of Avaca.

He reiterated that the association merchants, investors and a large part of the community learned through the media of the intention to use the Old Town within the Carnival program that traditionally only focuses on the Cinta Costera.

The best thing is that the Carnival be left in the Cinta Costera and that next year the Carnival Board will sit down in the Casco Antiguo community to do something intelligent and proportional to the place. But now it seems that everything is being done with a slide.”

Lilia Mendoza, a resident of the community and candidate for representative of San Felipe for the Otro Camino party, said that the community has not been consulted nor do they have the respective permits from the Heritage Directorate. Cultural of the Ministry of Culture.

“The most sensible thing is that this activity is not carried out. “The community has expressed to me that they want activities in the Old Town to be cancelled,” she said.

“The fact that neither the highest authority, which is the National Directorate of Cultural Heritage, is not aware of an activity of another institution and has not received an official, formal communication to request the due permits is a severe public administration problem.”

She considers that any activity that violates the rule or fails it should not happen.

She recalled that there are rules that govern the use of public space in the Old Town, also with noise and in addition there is not enough infrastructure to serve tourists who visit the area or for visitors, in addition to being concerned about the deterioration of the security in the area, to which is added the issue of garbage.

The director of the Old Town Office (OCA), Yessenia Sánchez, said that the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) presented last Monday, January 22, to security forces, the OCA, Heritage and some organizations in the Old Town a proposal for cultural activities within some squares of the Historic Center within the framework of Carnival 2024.

Sánchez reported that a second meeting with the ATP is scheduled to be held on Monday, January 29, to discuss a proposal in accordance with the Casco regulations in the presence of public and private organizations in the historic area.

“The objective is for there to be a circular economy and a tourism product in harmony with the organizations and with the conservation and preservation of the Old Town,” added the director of the OCA.

The ATP reported that on Wednesday, January 24, the Carnival Board, chaired by Nadkyi Duque, will be meeting and will issue a position on the proposals that the residents, merchants, investors and the community of the Old Town are making and will present the proposal of activities in the historic area.