Latest news with #Panamá
Bloomberg
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Colombia Grants Asylum to Former Panama President Martinelli
Colombia said it granted political asylum to former Panama President Ricardo Martinelli, who was convicted of corruption charges and had found refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City. The government cited its support of 'people pursued for political reasons' in providing asylum to Martinelli, who served as Panama's president from 2009 to 2014 and was barred from running in last year's election, according to a foreign ministry statement posted on X late Saturday.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Queen Letizia and King Felipe sue shopping centre after 'security staff member leaked pictures of teenage daughter Princess Leonor'
The Spanish Royal Family has taken legal action to protect Princess Leonor 's privacy for the first time, reports claim. The alleged invasion of privacy occurred in Chile, when Leonor was enjoying free time from her current navy training onboard the Juan Sebastian de Elcano, which she commenced in January. The training course has seen the 19-year-old live apart from family and friends for months as she travels the world. However, the princess's travels haven't gone without speculation. Earlier this year, photographs of the eldest child of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain in a Chilean shopping centre surfaced. The Royal Family reportedly consider the images a breach of Leonor's privacy, resulting in them taking legal action for the first time, according to Lecturas. Chilean news outlet further claimed that the Spanish Embassy in Chile filed a complaint with the National Police regarding the photographs, which showed Leonor inside a shopping centre in Punta Arenas. The Spanish Royal Family claimed that a staff member responsible for monitoring the shopping centre's security cameras granted a Chilean media outlet access to the images and thus breached data protection regulations in Chile, the outlet said. The report further claimed that the palace considered the images of Leonor to be 'unacceptable'. Amid the speculations, Leonor received a special visit from her mother last week at the Port of Fuerte Amador in Panama City. In an adorable moment, the pair threw royal protocol to the wind as they reunited after months apart last Saturday. Letizia flew over 8,000 miles across the globe to see her beloved daughter. She and her daughter had not seen each other since January, when she set sail aboard the Juan Sebastian de Elcano. Moving video footage from the Spanish Royal Household captured the moment they were finally reunited, with Leonor running across the port to greet her mother. She was soon embraced in an effusive hug that was so powerful Leonor had to take her hat off, while the Queen had tears in her eyes. They were then pictured excitedly catching up, as Leonor, who previously graduated from UWC Atlantic in South Wales, has been on a whirlwind adventure. Letizia's visit to Panama was an unofficial trip, sources at Zarzuela Palace told Spain 's Hola! Magazine. And their moving reunion was made all the more special - as it was the weekend Mother's Day is celebrated in Spain. While Leonor was smartly kitted out in her naval uniform, her mother had chosen to wear matching shades of white in casual jeans, T-shirt and white trainers. For the Crown Princess's training cruise, she is sailing through two oceans, and visiting 10 ports and eight countries in America, according to La Vanguardia. She will stay in her stopover in Panama until May 6, where she's been enjoying exploring. The Princess of Asturias, as she is also known, participated in a visit to Panama Viejo, took a short walk to the Cathedral Tower and visited several rooms of the Museum (of Panama Viejo), which has a commemorative plaque of the visit of His Majesty the King 2019. Her Royal Highness and the Queen participated in the reception on board that traditionally takes place and had lunch at the El Nacional restaurant in the old town in Panama. Leonor has so far been to Peru, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. She is soon due to pass through Colombia and the Dominican Republic, before concluding her journey in New York. The 19-year-old has been serving on the 'Juan Sebastián de Elcano' as a first midshipman. Letizia's welcome marked the first visit the heir to the throne has received from family and loved ones since she set sail on January 11, when she set sail in Cadiz. Meanwhile, her parents smiled and waved goodbye, while King Felipe documented the milestone by snapping photographs of Leonor. She is following in the footsteps of her father, Felipe, and her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, who also carried out a similar trip. Leonor - who began three years of military training in 2023 - looked just the part in her navy uniform. As she is the heir to the throne, Leonor will one day take the title of Commander in Chief of the armed forces, alongside being the Queen of Spain. She therefore has to spend three years in each section of defence and has already spent a year at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza. Last month, Leonor enjoyed a break from naval training as she took a dip in the sea at a sunny spot in Uruguay. The future queen was aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano when she enjoyed well-earned time off with her fellow midshipmen. Showing off her style, the Princess of Asturias wore flip flops, shorts and a white T-shirt as she slung a trendy tote bag over her shoulder. Alongside her fellow naval trainee, Leonor wondered through the beaches La Mulata near Montevideo, which was half an hour from the hotel where the royal was staying. Leonor is clearly following in her mother Queen Letizia 's footsteps, who is known for her style prowess. She spent a year with the Spanish army before training to be a marine and will then move onto her final rotation at the General Air Academy.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thousands march over concern Panama bending to US government
PANAMA CITY (AP) — Thousands of Panamanians marched in the capital Tuesday in the largest protest yet against an agreement signed during last month's visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth giving U.S. troops access to strategic air and naval facilities in the Central American nation. U.S. President Donald Trump thrust Panama into the spotlight even before winning election last November by suggesting that his country should consider retaking control of the Panama Canal and accusing Panama of ceding influence to China. Panama has vehemently rejected those comments but also tried to pacify the new administration, which has slapped tariffs on many trade partners. University students led Tuesday's protest accusing President José Raúl Mulino of sacrificing Panama's sovereignty with the deal. 'We feel like our president is acting against the wishes of many Panamanians and in very sensitive affairs,' 30-year-old student Tony Ruiz said. 'He signs an agreement behind our back that compromises our sovereignty, our neutrality with the world. The previous night Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Martínez-Acha said of the agreement with Washington: 'The memorandum of understanding does not imply a surrender of sovereignty, nor does it violate the national constitution, nor the neutrality treaty.' Bases where the U.S. will get access for military personnel and contractors will always remain under the control of Panama and it can terminate the agreement with six months notice, he said. Martínez-Acha said the U.S. government acted in bad faith in how it handled the sensitive issue in the media, an apparent reference to Trump's inflammatory comments on the canal, but nonetheless Panama was being 'prudent' and trying to avoid sanctions that have befallen other countries. 'International cooperation is necessary to strengthen our capabilities,' he said. 'Collaborating with the United States in this case helps us improve security without affecting our sovereignty or our laws.' The details of the deal only became public days after Hegseth's visit. In a separate agreement, Panama also agreed to look for a way for the U.S. government to be reimbursed for fees its naval ships pay to transit the Canal. The Trump administration has argued that it should not be obligated to defend the canal and pay to use it. The U.S. built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Control of the waterway transferred to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. The Trump administration has also pressured for the Hong Kong-based operator of ports at either end of the canalto sell those interests to a U.S. consortium that includes BlackRock Inc. While Martínez-Acha suggested that politically motivated opponents are stirring controversy, the student protesters expressed concern about a U.S. return to a country it invaded as recently as 1989. 'We are a neutral country; we cannot take sides with any country,' said Jam Allard, another student. 'We want our country to be sovereign.'
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Thousands march over concern Panama bending to US government
Thousands of Panamanians marched in the capital Tuesday in the largest protest yet against an agreement signed during last month's visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth giving U.S. troops access to strategic air and naval facilities in the Central American nation. U.S. President Donald Trump thrust Panama into the spotlight even before winning election last November by suggesting that his country should consider retaking control of the Panama Canal and accusing Panama of ceding influence to China. Panama has vehemently rejected those comments but also tried to pacify the new administration, which has slapped tariffs on many trade partners. University students led Tuesday's protest accusing President José Raúl Mulino of sacrificing Panama's sovereignty with the deal. 'We feel like our president is acting against the wishes of many Panamanians and in very sensitive affairs,' 30-year-old student Tony Ruiz said. 'He signs an agreement behind our back that compromises our sovereignty, our neutrality with the world. The previous night Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Martínez-Acha said of the agreement with Washington: 'The memorandum of understanding does not imply a surrender of sovereignty, nor does it violate the national constitution, nor the neutrality treaty.' Bases where the U.S. will get access for military personnel and contractors will always remain under the control of Panama and it can terminate the agreement with six months notice, he said. Martínez-Acha said the U.S. government acted in bad faith in how it handled the sensitive issue in the media, an apparent reference to Trump's inflammatory comments on the canal, but nonetheless Panama was being 'prudent' and trying to avoid sanctions that have befallen other countries. 'International cooperation is necessary to strengthen our capabilities,' he said. 'Collaborating with the United States in this case helps us improve security without affecting our sovereignty or our laws.' The details of the deal only became public days after Hegseth's visit. In a separate agreement, Panama also agreed to look for a way for the U.S. government to be reimbursed for fees its naval ships pay to transit the Canal. The Trump administration has argued that it should not be obligated to defend the canal and pay to use it. The U.S. built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Control of the waterway transferred to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. The Trump administration has also pressured for the Hong Kong-based operator of ports at either end of the canalto sell those interests to a U.S. consortium that includes BlackRock Inc. While Martínez-Acha suggested that politically motivated opponents are stirring controversy, the student protesters expressed concern about a U.S. return to a country it invaded as recently as 1989. 'We are a neutral country; we cannot take sides with any country,' said Jam Allard, another student. 'We want our country to be sovereign.'
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Princess Leonor beams in crisp white uniform as she joins fellow cadets aboard Spanish Navy's training ship
She may be a future queen, but today Princess Leonor looked every inch the poised naval cadet as she stood proudly aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano, the Royal Spanish Navy's training ship, as it neared the historic Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal. The 19-year-old Crown Princess of Spain, who began her military training two summers ago, cut a striking figure in her crisp white uniform complete with black insignia. With her long blonde hair neatly tucked back and a beaming smile on her face, Leonor blended seamlessly with her fellow midshipmen - though her royal poise was unmistakable. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with cadets aboard the four-masted schooner, Leonor appeared relaxed and confident, clearly embracing the demands of military life. The stop in Panama marks one of several international legs of the Elcano's voyage - a rite of passage for Spain's naval trainees and a nod to centuries of maritime tradition. Royal watchers have praised the princess's commitment to duty, noting how she's thrown herself into the rigours of the forces. After completing her stint at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Leonor is now gaining naval experience before moving on to air force training later this year. It's a far cry from tiaras and ballrooms - but for Spain's future queen, service and discipline are clearly part of the crown. It follows heartwarming footage from earlier this week that shows the Princess embracing her mother, Queen Letizia, after four months apart. The Spanish royals were reunited at the Port of Fuerte Amador in Panama City, after Letizia flew more than 8,000 miles across the globe to see her beloved daughter. Princess Leonor and her mother Letizia had not seen each other since January, when the young royal set sail aboard the Juan Sebastian. Moving video from the Spanish Royal Household captured the moment they were finally reunited, with Leonor running across the port to greet her mother. She was soon embraced in an effusive hug that was so powerful that Leonor had to take her hat off, while the Queen had tears in her eyes. They were then pictured excitedly catching up, as Leonor, who previously graduated from UWC Atlantic in South Wales, has been on a whirlwind adventure. Letizia's visit to Panama was an unofficial trip, sources at Zarzuela Palace told Spain's Hola! Magazine. And their moving reunion was made all the more special - as this weekend Mother's Day was celebrated in Spain. While Leonor was smartly kitted out in her naval uniform, her mother had chosen to wear matching shades of white in casual jeans, T-shirt and white trainers. For the Crown Princess's training cruise, she is sailing through two oceans, and visiting 10 ports and eight countries in America, according to La Vanguardia. The Princess of Asturias, as she is also known, participated in a visit to Panama Viejo, took a short walk to the Cathedral Tower and visited several rooms of the Museum (of Panama Viejo), which has a commemorative plaque of the visit of His Majesty the King 2019. Leonor is following in the footsteps of her father King Felipe as well as her grandfather Juan Carlos, who all attended military training with every of the three armed services in the country. Navy Captain Pedro Cardona Suanzes, director-commandant of the Naval Military School in Marín, previously described the daily routine of the midshipmen to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. He said that their life is 'non-stop' adding that there are constant tasks for them to do, from the minute they wake up until they go to bed in the evening. The captain said the day starts at 6.45am. They then shower, make their beds and go and get breakfast all before 7.30am - when their white uniforms are inspected to be 'spotless'. During the week, all students must be in bed before 10.45pm to ensure they get their full eight hours of sleep. On weekends, pupils are allowed to wake up two hours later than usual, at 8.45am and first-years are allowed to stay up until 1.30am in the morning. Before she started her three-year training, Leonor revealed her enthusiasm for becoming a cadet at the Princesa de Girona Foundation award ceremony in Girona last year. She said at the time: 'I have just finished high school and I am about to start a new stage with a period of military training. 'I am happy because I know how much the Spanish value our armed forces... it is an important moment in my life and I feel very excited and determined to continue learning and giving my best effort.'
