national

Day of mourning to mark U.S. Invasion

Dec. 20 may become a national holiday in Panama that commemorates the loss of Panamanian lives during the U.S. invasion in 1989, which ousted Manuel Noriega from power.

The Comisión de Trabajo de la Asamblea Nacional approved a project yesterday to make Dec. 20 a national day of mourning. The date would commemorate the anniversary of the U.S. Invasion of Panama in 1989. If given the green light by Panama’s Organo Ejecutivo, private enterprises and businesses would have the day off.

The day marking the invasion is currently classified as a "day of reflection." Upon its becoming an official "day of mourning," the national flag would be flown at half mast and the sale and consumption of alcohol would be prohibited from 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 20 until 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 21. Public musical performances would also be prohibited.

The document approved by the Comisión also sets a date for the Dirección de Estadística y Censo de la Contraloría to present its statistics on the number of Panamanians who died as a consequence of the invasion. The deceased would be delcared martyrs and national heroes.

It will fall to the Ministerio Público to determine the existence of mass graves where the dead were buried and to exhume the bodies. The Organo Ejecutivo would be called upon to erect a monument in El Chorillo with the names of the victims within a year and a half after the law is ratified.