Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Panama sends U.S. extradition request for ex-president Martinelli
Panama has sent the U.S. Department of State an extradition request for former President Ricardo Martinelli to be returned to the Central American nation, a spokesman for Panama’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
In response to the extradition request, Martinelli lashed out at current government and described himself as a victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt. “Diverting attention with a political persecution from the dullest, most inept and corrupt government doesn’t achieve anything for the people,” he said in a Twitter post.
In December, a U.S. federal judge identified Martinelli as one of several alleged co-conspirators in an unrelated bribery scheme that helped software giant SAP sell millions of dollars in software to Panama. The extradition request was made on Monday, the government spokesman said, adding that there was no timetable for his potential return due to an analysis of the request that would have to be carried out by U.S. authorities.
Source: Reuters
Stunning photos that tell the story of the Panama Canal expansion
The Panama Canal expansion was a massive project, with a massive undertaking, that took a number of years to complete. Luckily, as part of its living history, the whole process was documented in images and words. Here are some of the best images, as selected by the Washington Post.
“When the Panama Canal expansion is complete, one of man and the world’s greatest marvels will forever change the landscape, the economy, and the people of Panama,” says photographer Andrew Kaufman in his artist statement for his project,” The Isthmus,” a photo book on Panama and the Panama Canal expansion. The Panama Canal expansion project added a new lane, which allowed a larger number of ships and increased the width and depth of the lanes and locks, which allowed larger ships to pass. This doubled the capacity of the canal. The new, larger ships, New Panamax, are near 1 1/2 times the size of their predecessor and can haul more than twice the cargo.
Source: The Washington Post
5 Things You Should Know When Looking for a Job Abroad
If you’re looking for a career change, and moving to Panama is high on your list, there’s a lot of preparing you’ll need to do to take it on effectively. Finding a job is tough, and finding one abroad is even tougher. That being said, it can be done, and done right if you’re prepared. Here are some tips from our friends at PTY Life.
Do your research. Before applying for a job abroad, you need to be informed about how they manage resumes in the country you are moving to. Do you need a cover letter? Short or long resume? Do you need to attach your certificates? Or is your resume acceptable as is? In some cases, you will need to translate and notarize your degree and other certificates, so it is very important to do your research.
Spread the news. Once you make a decision about the place you are going to be living next, tell every single person you know. This way, you will probably meet people who went through a similar experience or that are native of the country you chose. Your aunt will always have a friend of a friend who spent their summer in a far away and exotic country.
Source: PTY Life
A Frog from Panama Just Went Extinct
A rare, previously undiscovered (until 2005) tree frog has passed, making the species completely extinct. This is just one of the many natural wonders that have been discovered in Panama’s dense forests and tapestry.
Toughie the treefrog lived in the Atlanta Botanical Garden, after being flown out of Panama with several other frogs the year they were discovered, when researchers at the time detected a threatening invasive fungus in their natural habitat. Toughie has lived at the botanical garden more or less since then, becoming the only known living Rabbs’ fringe-limbed treefrog in the world in 2012, when the penultimate frog of the species died at the Atlanta Zoo.
“Found in Panama on an expedition to save animals from a deadly disease, our dear Rabbs’ frog was estimated to be about 12 years old,” the garden wrote on Facebook. “It’s a sad day here at the Garden as we mourn the loss of our beloved Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog.” The frogs were last seen in the wild in 2007, and have only been observed in cloud forests in central Panama, where, in part because of the fungus, they are also presumed extinct.
Source: Atlas Obscura
