In Panama, a retired American lawyer, Kenneth Darlington, 77, was arrested following the fatal shooting of two environmental activists during a protest. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, as Darlington was caught in traffic caused by a blockade on the Pan-American Highway in Chame, 50 miles from Panama City. The protesters were opposing a government contract permitting a Canadian firm to mine copper for 20 years.
Video footage shows Darlington confronting the demonstrators, then drawing a gun and firing. One victim fell immediately, while the other stumbled away before collapsing. The victims, Abdiel Díaz and Iván Mendoza, died at the scene and in hospital, respectively. Díaz was an educator, and Mendoza was married to an educator in the San Carlos district.
Darlington, who holds dual American and Panamanian citizenship, was remanded in custody after appearing in court in La Espiga. He could face house arrest instead of jail time due to his age. The ongoing protests, now in their third week, have led to significant economic losses and school closures across Panama.
Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo expressed condolences to the victims’ families, stating that such violence is unacceptable in the country. The event was extensively covered by local media, with images and videos capturing the shooting and its aftermath.
It is unknown whether Darlington can legally possess firearms in the United States, but this absolutely isn’t the behavior of a responsible gun owner. To use a firearm in this instance, where Darlington’s life was in no danger whatsoever, is the act of a criminal and not of a person who carries a firearm for self-defense.
