On December 20, 1989, the Commission informed the citizenry about the continuation of exhumation works at the Garden of Peace Cemetery, as part of the investigations aimed at clarifying the identity of the victims of the United States' military invasion of Panama, which occurred in December 1989. The proceedings are carried out under the order and direction of the Public Ministry, and are executed by a specialized technical team from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (IMELCF), with the support of forensic anthropology experts, following international technical and scientific standards. A new phase begins on February 2 In this new phase, which will begin on Monday, February 2, at 8:00 a.m., an area of graves previously studied will be intervened, where the existence of unidentified human remains is presumed. The work will be carried out through manual excavation methodologies, photographic and photogrammetric recording, identification of archaeological features and criminalistic clues, as well as the systematic documentation of all findings. Forensic analysis and chain of custody Once the fieldwork is completed, the remains will be transferred to the IMELCF facilities, where anthropological and genetic analyses will be carried out, ensuring the chain of custody at all times in accordance with current forensic protocols. Memory, truth, and reparation Previous experiences in this same cemetery and in other cemeteries in the country have allowed significant advances in the recovery of remains, the identification of relevant evidence, and the strengthening of processes of historical memory, truth, and reparation for the affected families. These actions are carried out with absolute respect for the dignity of the victims and their relatives, as part of the efforts of the Panamanian State to guarantee the right to truth and preserve the national historical memory.
