Panama: Spanish Journalist Deported · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.
Spanish journalist Francisco Gomez Nadal and his companion Pilar Chato were detained on Saturday, February 26 and subsequently returned voluntarily to Spain, according to the newspaper La Prensa [es]:
The journalist Paco Gómez Nadal signed voluntarily, at the National Immigration Service (SNM), a document in which he accepted his repatriation to Spain.
Gómez Nadal and his wife Pilar Chato, also a journalist, were detained last Saturday 26th February, during the coverage of an indigenous protest against the new Mining Resources Code, in the Plaza 5 de Mayo.
Both were arrested – according to the National Police (PN) – for “disrupting public order” and “encouraging the indigenous protestors to close streets in protest at the Mining Code”.
The measure provoked disapproval among some Panamanians, while others were satisfied with it. In her blog Bla, bla, bla de una panameña [es], Arethusa states her disagreement with the measure which she sees as a way of restricting freedom of expression:
En Panamá hay igualdad, sí, pero de opresión. No sólo mandamos a meter  presos a nuestros periodistas sino que ahora también deportamos a los periodistas extranjeros cuando discrepan con las arbitrariedades de nuestro presidente Ricardo  Martinelli. Antes de deportarlo, debieron contratarlo para darle un  seminario acerca de Derechos Humanos a los custodios y policías de  Panamá. Sí, porque ahora se creen que son HIGHLANDER, gracias a la  excusa barata de que “en el ejercicio de sus funciones” pueden rostizar  gente en sus celdas y a otros los muelen a palos mientras protestan.
The association of teachers from Veraguas also had something to say on the matter in the blog Estudio1panama [es] saying that Paco was “as Panamanian as January 9, 1964, ‘Martyrs’ Day’“:
Paco Gomez Nadal, como lo hemos dicho otras veces, es tan panameño como el 9 de enero de 1964. Alguna una vez dijo en broma pero en serio, refiriendose a la lucha por los Derechos Humanos, que estaba intentando enmendar lo que sus tatarabuelos conquistadores habían arrebatado a los pueblos de Abia Yala, y Paco ha demostrado su nivel de compromiso consecuente en la lucha por las libertades Democráticas, los educadores gremialistas panameños le hacemos ese reconocimiento.
Jairo A. Rojas Garzón (@ombrepajaro) agrees that in spite of what the government says, the true reason for the journalist’s expulsion was the radical content of his articles:
Paco Gómez Nadal Pilar Chato “importunaban los intereses  del Gobierno panameño debido a su postura editorial a favor de la causa  indígena”.
However, other Panamanians, such as Elias Manopla (@eliasman), appear satisfied with the expulsion of the journalist since they consider that his articles and active participation in indigenous rights issues were an intrusion into Panamanian internal affairs:
Adios Paco Gomez Nadal, a joder a otro lado… Ya era hora! […]
Gomez Nadal defines himself in the blog Otramérica as a person who does not believe in the idea of developmentalism and who wishes to collaborate with indigenous and peasant groups.
Soy periodista y en el DNI dice que nací en Murcia en 1971. Ahora, unos añitos después, ejerzo el periodismo de forma independiente (porque no como de él), asesoro a periódicos de varios países de la región (porque me dan de comer) y colaboro con comunidades campesinas e indígenas en la resistencia a los megaproyectos económicos (porque no me como el cuento del desarrollismo).
The deportation upset indigenous groups who agreed to negotiate on the condition that all those detained during the protests are released. In spite of the promise made by President Ricardo Martinelli to repeal the 8th law reforming the Mining Code, some Panamanians such as José X. Martínez (@JXMARTINEZ14) remind us that the issue of the deported journalist remains unresolved:
Derogaron la Ley! pero no se OLVIDEN DE PACO GOMEZ NADAL! LA LUCHA SIGUE! ESTA LUCHA ES HASTA EL FINAL.
This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.