Fiery Welcome for Bush in Panama Sunday

Panama, Nov 6 (Prensa Latina) With his ears still ringing from shouting protestors in Argentina and Brazil, US President George W. Bush will arrive Sunday night in Panama, where he will be welcomed by the government and more uproar.

Bush will visit Panama with empty pockets after the 4th Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata and of meetings held in Brasilia, but hopeful of exerting leverage in the famous canal country.

Navy patrol boats and war helicopters are guarding the city's Miramar Intercontinental Hotel, where Bush and his entourage will stay during a less-that-24-hour visit to this Panamanian nation.

In these past few days, Martin Torrijos's government has defended the occupant of the White House's visit to this country, saying that his aim is to strengthen bilateral ties in all fields, especially in the economic and trade sphere.

The Panamanian delegation in Mar del Plata had offered itself this weekend to try and save the virtually buried Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), but the notion was rejected by the Mercosur and Venezuela, among others.

Grassroots groups, union organizations, farmers and students have vowed to actively protest the presence of the US president, and have lined up some whopping rallies for the coming hours.

The Washington kingpin's arrival will coincide with the end of a vigil to discredit his anti-terrorist policy, which is marked by the double morality of protecting Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch in his country, the absurd and unfair war of Iraq and his hegemonic desires for Latin America.

Bush's agenda includes meetings with his Panamanian counterpart, some journalists and baseball players, as well as seeing the Panama Canal Zone. He has not mentioned the military bases.