3 Regime Foes Defy Panama’s Ban on Rallies

The three top opposition leaders defied a ban on rallies and marched through the streets of the Panamanian capital on Saturday, their first public appearance since they were physically assaulted after the May 7 election.

And late Friday, U.S. officials reported that the government had released 15 Panamanians employed to provide security at U.S. Embassy offices. Two Panamanians are still being detained.

Opposition presidential candidate Guillermo Endara and vice presidential candidates Ricardo Arias Calderon and Guillermo (Billy) Ford were beaten up on May 10 by paramilitary forces of strongman Manuel A. Noriega.

The government Saturday prohibited “marches, meetings, public demonstrations or caravans of vehicles” by any political organization until at least June 5.

But, said Endara, “The prohibition does not have any meaning to us.” The politician spoke as he made his way through an outdoor market in San Miguelito on the capital’s eastern outskirts. The stop was one of six made by a caravan of about 20 opposition vehicles.

Blocked Traffic

The caravan briefly blocked traffic on some major routes. Police watched but took no action.

Endara said the caravan was designed “to thank the people for their support May 7.”

Independent observers say the opposition candidates were leading the Noriega-picked government candidates in the national election two weeks ago when Noriega’s troops seized election ballots. The results of the election have been annulled by the government.

Violence Probe

Meanwhile, the government said the 17 security guard personnel were questioned as part of an investigation into the May 10 violence.

Those detained work for Tesna Protective Services, an American firm that operates in Panama under the name Memsa. The company provides by contract about 80 employees who serve as security personnel for U.S. diplomatic offices. They are not employees of the U.S. Embassy.

Alexis Guerra, a bodyguard of Ford, was killed in the May 10 violence, and another, Humberto Montenegro, was wounded.

Guerra was a Tesna-Memsa employee, on leave from the company. Montenegro had been employed by Tesna-Memsa until early this year.

Response to Visit

The Ministry of Government and Justice issued a communique saying the prohibition on demonstrations was in response to the upcoming visit by delegates from the Organization of American States.

The foreign ministers of Ecuador, Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago, accompanied by OAS Secretary General Joao Baena Soares, are due in Panama on Tuesday. They will try to promote resolution of Panama’s 15-month-old government crisis.

The organization on Wednesday approved a resolution critical of Gen Noriega, the commander of the Panama Defense Forces and the effective ruler of the country.

The United States has been trying to oust Noriega since February, 1988, when he was indicted on drug-trafficking charges in Florida. Noriega has survived economic sanctions and international pressure, accusing the United States of seeking to scrap a treaty that will give Panama full control and supervision of the Panama Canal by the end of the century.