Panama: Narrow Land, Worldwide Connection

By Neil Melancon

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation

Today was the first full day on the ground in Panama for Class XVII.  The day started with a tour of Casco Viejo, the oldest colonial city in Latin America.  Dating back to 1673, little remains of the old city for two reasons: Captain Morgan and rebuilding efforts.

Captain Morgan (yes, of the rum fame), was a British buccaneer who gathered 1,200 men to take the Spanish City.  It had little in the way of defense, as it was on the other side of the isthmus from the pirate-infested Caribbean.  Once the city was sacked, the Spanish rebuilt it on the other side of the bay, using materials from remains.  An intact church belfry did give panoramic views of both the old and the new, the juxtaposition clear in the photos you see. 

A museum in Casco Viejo had numerous relics and historical displays, showing both indigenous and colonial Panama.  The name Panama likely stems from an indigenous Cuevan word meaning “abundance of fish.”  Abundance is certainly evident is this tropical country, as it is nearly 90 degrees every day here in January!  Tropical plants and wildlife abound here, and even during the winter “dry season,” our tour guide, Luis, tells us rain is 50 percent possible every day.

The tour moved to the rebuilt area across the bay, where on the way we saw ships lining up to enter the canal on the Pacific side.  The Plaza Mayor is still a central hub of the city in this area near the ocean.  Old churches with gold-leaf altars stand next to the presidential manor, where protestors often gather against government policies.

The contrast of old and new is apparent everywhere in the city.  Massive skyscrapers from international companies create a dramatic skyline of this city of 2.5 million.  Many are financial institutions, which use banking services to pay for access to the Panama Canal.  High-rise condos start at $250,000.  With the median income at $15,000, everyday Panamanians cannot afford to live in these downtown areas, and commute times can be between 2-4 hours each day.  

After lunch, the class heard from three speakers: Pete Olson, the ag attache with the U.S. Embassy in Panama and Jairo Amezquita with the U.S. Soybean Export Council.  This gave the group a good background on the ag economics of the region and why this country is so central to trade around the world.

Tomorrow, the class heads to the other side of the isthmus to the city of Colon for our first look at the Panama Canal!