A group of Junior High School students from the Brader School of Panama visited a USAID-funded installation run by the Peregrine Fund on Panama’s National Bird — the Harpy Eagle.
Ana Matilde Gómez was astonished. Having served as Attorney General of Panama for only a few months, she was surprised to meet with a top-level foreign prosecutor, who came to plead for her bureau’s support in investigating more than $50 million transferred, presumably illegally, to Panama by a high profile politician from his country.
Following an extensive legislative review, the Panamanian government approved a new criminal code designed to modernize the administration of penal justice in Panama and bring it in line with the principles of the rule of law.
Panama is facing a major challenge in the Panama Canal Watershed. Next to the backdrop of gigantic, modern cargo ships transiting the Canal, lies an area of extreme poverty, where much of the population scrapes a meager living off small farms. Like many people in the Canal Watershed, Yadira Martinez and her family live in a shack with earthen floors and a thatched roof. They are often unable to meet basic needs, such as adequate nutrition. USAID's sustainable agriculture programs are reaching out to people like Yadira to teach them more effective agricultural techniques.
Located in San Lorenzo National Park in the Panama Canal watershed, El Achiote is a world-renown site for bird watching. According to Audubon Society records, it holds the most bird sightings for a given period. In addition to birds, it boasts a diversity of flora and fauna.
Last updated: October 14, 2014