On Sunday, the Chinese embassy in Panama voiced “deep regret, strong indignation, and firm opposition” regarding the recent demolition of a Chinese monument in Arraijan.
The embassy stated that this action “trampled” the collective feelings of the Chinese community in Panama and “severely hurt” their friendly sentiments towards the Panamanian people.
The demolition occurs amid China’s increasing influence in Panama, particularly related to the strategic Panama Canal. The government under conservative President José Raul Murino is attempting to navigate its relationship with communist China while facing rising demands from the U.S. to combat perceived communist influence.
On Saturday night, local authorities in Arraijan knocked down a monument in China-Panama Friendship Park, known as Puente de las Americas. This structure was established in 2004 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Chinese immigration to Panama.
Reports from Washington Post indicated that the monument had shown signs of significant decay, with broken parts of the arch and nearby obelisk. There were calls for its complete demolition.
According to the Panamanian newspaper La Prensa, footage of the demolition began circulating on Saturday, leading to a rise in public outcry by Sunday. Arraijan Mayor Stephanie Dayan Peñalba defended the decision, citing structural concerns and stating it was based on “technical and legal” rather than political grounds.
Peñalba issued a statement on Sunday, taking responsibility and asserting that the actions followed legal protocols. She emphasized that the decision was not politically motivated and did not undermine the cultural heritage of the Chinese community.
The mayor noted that the office will oversee renovations, emphasizing the importance of promoting Panama’s tourism, with Arraijan as a gateway to the west. However, her comment about “fishing in rough waters” could hint at ongoing illegal fishing issues involving Chinese fishermen in Latin America.
In response to the demolition, President José Raul Mulino took to social media, decrying the act and claiming it was “barbaric.” He stressed the respect deserved by the Chinese community, which has a long history in Panama, and called for an immediate investigation into the incident.
Shortly after, China’s ambassador to Panama, Xu Xueyuan, thanked Mulino for his condemnation and shared the embassy’s comprehensive statement denouncing the demolition. The statement expressed that the act “brutally tramples on the collective feelings” of the approximately 300,000 Chinese-Panamanians and harms the Sino-Panamanian friendship.
The embassy highlighted that local Chinese organizations had previously engaged with the mayor’s office about the monument since 2024 but received no satisfactory response. Furthermore, they offered support for renovations, which was similarly overlooked.
Wrapping up, the embassy called for an investigation into the demolition and urged local authorities to address the matter, emphasizing the need to protect Panama’s history and cultural unity.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian commented on Monday, expressing China’s disappointment over the “forced removal,” noting that the incident has sparked outrage within Panama. He underscored the significance of the monument as a memorial to the historical contributions of Chinese laborers in Panama.
Lin reiterated that such an act injures the feelings of the broader Chinese community and contradicts the spirit of the friendship between China and Panama. He concluded by urging the Panamanian government to rectify the local government’s mistake and mitigate the situation as soon as possible.
