The Bridge of the Americas in Panama, one of the country's main connections with its 63-year history marked by tragedies, accidents, and events that have left a mark on the collective memory of Panamanians, is once again in the spotlight. The construction of the Bridge of the Americas was financed by the government of the United States, which at that time had administrative control over the Panama Canal. In September 2024, the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) reported the disappearance of 600 steel beams, valued at approximately $3 million, intended for the rehabilitation of the Bridge of the Americas. According to an audit, irregular exits of at least 99 beams were recorded. For this reason, Judge Oscar Carrasquilla pressed charges and ordered the arrest of three people, including an MOP official, a collaborator from the Veracruz Community Board, and the sister of the former representative of that community, Ronald González, for embezzlement due to the theft of the beams. It was discovered that these structures, acquired in previous administrations, had been stored in a yard in Farfán, but their trail has been lost since October 2023. This event puts the focus back on the story of one of the country's main connections, marked in its 63 years by tragedies, accidents, and episodes that have left a mark on the collective memory of Panamanians. The first major tragedy occurred on May 24, 1971, when a bus with 43 passengers broke off the bridge from a height of 48 meters, resulting in 38 deaths. Later, on June 11, 1979, a US Army truck fell from the bridge, killing 16 soldiers. The bridge was also closed by the US Army during the January 9, 1964 riots, leading to the isolation of Panama City and Colón. Despite extreme security measures, during the inauguration, a group of students climbed onto the bridge's beams and placed the Panamanian flag at the top. In 1980, a $100 million contract was approved for the construction of a second bridge over the Panama Canal, a project that was never completed.
