BRIEFS: Diplomacy

U.S. ambassador receives honors for his service

Gabriel Rodríguez/LA PRENSA

retiring: U.S. Ambassador William Eaton received the Orden de Vasco Núñez de Balboa yesterday at a farewell ceremony.1043764

United States Ambassador William Eaton received the Orden de Vasco Núñez de Balboa yesterday at a farewell ceremony for the diplomat. Eaton is retiring after serving three years in the country. Barbara Stephenson will replace Eaton as U.S. Ambassador to Panama in July.

During the ceremony at the Cancillería, Eaton said he was optimistic about the U.S. Congress ratifying the Tratado de Promoción Comercial, which he considers “fair and beneficial” for both nations.

The trade agreement was stalled after Pedro Miguel González was elected chairman of Panama’s Asamblea Nacional. González is wanted in the U.S. for the murder of an American serviceman. A Panamanian jury acquitted him of the crim in 1997.

Eaton had several disagreements with González and has been an outspoken critic of Panamanian authorities on issues related to corruption and drug trafficking.

The event was attended by the first Vice President and Canciller, Samuel Lewis Navarro, the ministro de Gobierno y Justicia, Daniel Delgado Diamante, the administrador del Canal de Panamá, Alberto Alemán Zubieta and the former ministro de Comercio, Alejandro Ferrer.