Noriega Rival Beaten Unconscious : General’s Supporters Hit Him on Head With an Iron Bar

Government supporters beat opposition presidential candidate Guillermo Endara on the head with an iron bar during anti-government demonstrations today, knocking him unconscious, witnesses and Endara said.

Endara said members of a “dignity battalion,” paramilitary groups commonly considered to have been set up and run by de facto ruler Gen. Manuel Noriega, attacked him during an altercation between opposition activists and crowds of government supporters.

“They hit me on the head with an iron bar. . . . I completely lost consciousness. I have just recovered it,” Endara, who was bleeding profusely from the head, said when his bodyguards brought him to the downtown hotel where he has set up post-election headquarters.

Shots were fired in the lobby of the hotel as Endara was speaking to journalists and his bodyguards immediately rushed him to a hospital.

The attack occurred as Endara was leading an opposition convoy through downtown Panama City along with his two vice-presidential running mates.

Endara said he did not know what happened to his running mates, Ricardo Arias Calderon and Guillermo Ford.

Witnesses said the people who attacked the Endara convoy were backed and protected by riot police, who earlier in the afternoon used shotguns, tear gas and water cannons to break up an opposition demonstration for the second time since disputed weekend elections.

There were reports of shootings and violent skirmishes across the city today.

As the disturbances took place, there were new delays in the release of the government’s official election results, which were showing the government candidate picked by Noriega, Carlos Duque, 59, leading Endara, 53, by 2-to-1.

Endara claims to have won 75% of the vote in the election Sunday and international observers charged the government rigged the election and the official vote totals are fraudulent.

The clashes in downtown Panama City began as Endara and his running mates drove down the capital’s main shopping avenue and were enthusiastically cheered by supporters and onlookers.

Shortly after the demonstration began, riot police began firing shotguns into the air and using high-pressure water cannons to disperse the opposition supporters.