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For residents, life on Calle Uruguay brings headaches

The area around Calle Uruguay has become the chief party spot for Panama City.

But poor planning has created a number of problems, including a parking shortage.

Iván Uribe/LA PRENSA

hot spot:Police and immigration officials conduct frequent sweeps on Calle Uruguay looking for illicit behavior, including prostitution and drug dealing.1029835

The area around Calle Uruguay, which hosts some 11 restaurants and 14 bars or nightclubs, has become Panama's prime party spot.

And like any party, it can bring on plenty of headaches.

Police sirens are heard almost as frequently as the thumping bass from the club's sound systems. People working in the area said that police sweep through the area three times a week, looking for a variety of criminal activity such as drug dealing, prostitution and public drunkenness.

Often they are accompanied by immigration officers looking for people who are here illegally. One such sweep netted dozens of offenders, many of whom worked as parking attendants, steering customers toward a coveted parking spot, then offering to keep an eye on their vehicle for a few dollars.

"The policemen come in looking for anyone who is drinking outside the establishments," said Rigoberto Rodríguez, who frequently goes out to the clubs. He added, however, that officers are looking for people who are "really drunk," and will generally let other offenders off with a warning.

Marcos Gutiérrez, who can make up to $200 a night selling roses in the area, said he has seen a number of people hauled off by both police and immigration. Among those, he said, are prostitutes who, according to the flower seller, will open their hearts to you, but only for a certain number of $20 bills.

Immigration officials said they do not keep track of how many people are picked up in a certain area, so it is not possible to say how many have been caught near Calle Uruguay. They did say that the street is checked up to three times a week, which is consistent with what workers in the area said.

But of all the problems facing the area, parking may be the one that creates the most trouble for residents and patrons of the restaurants and bars. At about 10 p.m. each night, a long line of cars begin backing up as hopeful drivers search for spots. And the attendants, when they are not dodging police and immigration, are quickly on the spot to claim an empty space and direct the next driver into it.

City engineer Jaime Sala said that the area's uncontrolled growth created the problem, and officials are now examining options for dealing with it.