19 Dec 2018 | 03:44 AM UTC
Panama: Demonstrations planned in Panama City December 20
Demonstrations planned in Panama City December 20 to protest anniversary of 1989 US invasion of Panama; heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions expected
Event
Protests are planned in Panama City on Thursday, December 20, in observance of the anniversary of the 1989 US invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause). Related demonstrations are slated to begin at 08:00 (local time); the Consular Section of the US Embassy will be closed to the public on Thursday, with American authorities advising individuals to avoid the vicinity of the embassy on Demetrio Lakas Avenue in the Clayton area. A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are to be expected around protest sites.
Context
Operation Just Cause, the codename for the US invasion of Panama, took place between December 1989 and January 1990 and resulted in the surrender of de facto Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega.
Advice
Individuals in Panama City are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.