The president of the Association of Professors of the University of Panama (APUDEP), José Álvaro, accused the National Police of "kidnapping" the university campus, in an action he considers violates the autonomy of the University and compared it to the McCarthyism period of the 1950s. Armed police agents appeared at the educational institution due to a confusing event, while popular groups were preparing to protest the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"The National Police is kidnapping the campus over a confusing event that has not yet been clarified, without a precise investigation, reminiscent of what happened in 1958," Álvaro, leader of APUDEP, stated. He also criticized the statements made by the head of the National Police, Jaime Fernández, who labeled the University of Panama as a "center of criminals."
Tension at the university escalated following mass rejection of Donald Trump's threats against Panamanian sovereignty and the management of the Panama Canal. The National Police considered the student protests on January 31 as "violent acts" and reported injuries to one of their agents during a confrontation.
The rector of the University of Panama, Eduardo Flores Castro, along with university authorities and students, delivered a letter of repudiation to the U.S. Embassy for Washington's statements. However, an embassy employee refused to accept the letter in person and suggested sending it via email.
