Over the years visiting Panama, I've always been warned to stay out of the Darien region of Panama.

The Darien is the most Eastern "under-developed" part of Panama sharing a border with Colombia. (Just East of Tocumen Airport). And I say under-developed, because within Panama, the Darien is the only broken link in the Trans-American highway that stretches from the tip of Chile all the way up through Canada, into Alaska and up to the far Noth shores of the Arctic Sea.

Historically Panama refused to finish this portion of the highway for political and national defense reasons. Remember...prior to the 20th Century, Panama was a terriroty of Colombia. Teddy Roosevelt stole Panama from Colombia fair and square in the early 1900's to achieve the building of the Panama Canal.

Today Panama fears that if they opened the Darien region border with a continuous highway, the troubles of Colombia and other regions to the South and East could easily come their way.

In case you did not know, Colombia has been caught in a revolution of sorts for about 30-years...maybe even more. The Colombian Army frequently battles the rebel FARC. The FARC, in need of funding to support their uprising, do business with the narcos...in essence become de facto narco-traffickers. Since the FARC are not a sovereign military...when they get pressured by the Colombian Army, they cross the border into Panama's Darien region for refuge. The Colombian Army cannot cross their border with Panama in persuit of the FARC.

So, within the Darien, the FARC lick their wounds, rest, and relax until ready to take on the Colombian Army again. Ocassionally, the Panama National Police (PNP) will bump into the FARC and a firefight will break-out.

Given that the FARC needs money to support their armed conflict...they are very caught-up in the drug trade, and when opportunity presents itself, they will kidnap any foreigners they think will increase their bottom line.

Now, does the FARC venture into Panama City? I bet they do. I was with a favorita one evening in a sports bar when a pro-friend of hers came to our table to chat. She told us that the three (jungle filty) Colombians she was with hired her, and took turns fucking her earlier that day. She hinted that the Colombians got a little nervous when they saw me, wondering if I was DEA. (As you can imagine, I assured her I was not). Though she also hinted that she would like to leave with me and my favorita because the Colombians would no doubt gang-bang her again later that evening...I thought it best she stay and entertain these guys...afterall, they did pay for her and she did agree to go with them the first-time.

Here is a short article about two Spaniard (humanitarian workers) that recently are missing in the Darien (mid-January 2006):

AlecJamer

"Panama, Spain, and Colombia Cooperating on Kidnapping"

Panama (ACAN-EFE). - Panama is coordinating closely with Spain and Colombia on the case of two Spaniards that were kidnapped in the forest of the Darién, near the border with Colombia. A search for the kidnap victims has not turned up anything according to police and diplomatic sources. Samuel Lewis Navarro, Panama's First Vice President and Chancellor said "We are maintaining very close contact with both Spanish and Colombian authorities." Editor's Comment: This incident is a big, fat black eye for the Panamanian government, who really needs to be able to secure their southern border with Colombia. These kinds of incidents are common in Colombia, and Panama really, really wants to keep this from becoming common. For now, it's highly recommended to everyone to stay out of the Darien.