Panamanian Legislature Urges Expulsion of U.S. Ambassador

PANAMA CITY â€”  The Panamanian Legislative Assembly, responding to a U.S. Senate vote urging suspension of the nation’s military strongman, adopted a resolution Monday labeling U.S. Ambassador Arthur Davis persona non grata.

In a unanimous vote, it asked the executive branch to take the step leading to expelling Davis from the country for “heading an internal conspiracy to overthrow the government of Panama.�

President Eric A. Delvalle had no immediate response to the resolution, which must be formally approved by the Panamanian executive branch before Davis can be forced to leave.

Several legislators charged that the United States--and Davis specifically--were behind weeklong anti-government protests earlier this month.

“We most energetically reject the interventionist aggression of the U.S. Senate into the institutional and democratic life of the republic of Panama,� the resolution said.

Last Friday in Washington, the Senate, 84-2, voted its resolution urging Panama to suspend Panama’s military strongman, Gen. Manuel A. Noriega, pending an impartial investigation into allegations of murder, election fraud and corruption.

Noriega is the head of the Panamanian Defense Force, which rules the country despite Delvalle’s figurehead civilian government.

The Senate also called on Panama to restore suspended constitutional rights, allow elected civilians to rule, keep the defense forces out of non-military activities, hold free and fair elections, create an independent judicial system and respect and uphold human rights.

Panamanian street protests earlier this month were sparked by accusations from Col. Roberto Diaz Herrera, former chief of the general staff, that the military planned the 1981 plane-crash death of President Omar Torrijos, rigged the 1984 election and took millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks.

The Legislative Assembly, in condemning the U.S. Senate action, said it will present complaints to the Organization of American States and the United Nations in hopes of gaining condemnation of the American resolution.