Category Archives: Panama

Twisted Fantasy Becomes Twisted Reality

Bocas del Toro (Bocas, as many of the large ex-pat community refer to it) is a beautiful archipelago in Bocas del Toro province. I had the good fortune to travel there recently, and the pictures say more about its natural beauty than I possible can: The AP has been been covering the story about five murdered [...]
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From Partner by Default to Partner of Choice: Shifting US Policy in Latin America

On March 26, US Ambassador to Colombia William Brownfield said the US is close to signing bi-lateral military accords with two unspecified countries in Latin America. In October 2009, following a failed attempt to keep the details secret, the US and Colombia hastily announced a deal allowing US troops and advisors to use seven military bases [...]
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Anti-drug bases in Panama and the Drug War in 2010

One of the biggest stories emerging from the Americas in 2009 was Colombia’s decision to let the United States access military installations throughout Colombia in efforts to combat narcotrafficking. The move exacerbated already tenuous relations between Colombia and Venezuela, with the latter claiming that US presence in Colombia was a direct threat to sovereignty, another [...]
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Broad Regional Integration or a Case-by-Case Basis?

The AQ blog recently published an excellent article analyzing the effectiveness and utility of broad, multinational coalitions in the Americas: This is not to call for unilateralism or a rejection of international norms at the expense of alliances and partners.  What it does point to is a more limited, pragmatic agenda: engaging on specific, discrete issues with [...]
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Tradtional Advertising, Non-tradtional Brands: Colombia’s Ministry of Defense and The Government of Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli

Colombian Government Spends Money to Talk to FARC Rebels Advertising Age, a leading trade in the advertising industry, published a story on its front page during the week of 16 November about an established ad campaign with a non-traditional target audience: members of the FARC. The campaign, sponsored by the Colombian Ministry of Defense and created pro [...]
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