Panama seizes North Korean ship coming from Cuba
According to Fox News, Panama has seized a North Korean ship which tried to transit the Panama Canal from Cuba with sophisticated missile technology;
“We had suspected this ship, which was coming from Cuba and headed to North Korea, might have drugs aboard so it was brought into port for search and inspection,” on the Atlantic coast of the country, the president [Ricardo Martinelli] said on Radio Panama on Monday.
“When we started to unload the shipment of sugar we located containers that we believe to be sophisticated missile equipment, and that is not allowed,” Martinelli stressed, describing a dramatic scene in which he said the ship’s captain tried to kill himself.
“The captain has tried to commit suicide, and the crew also rioted,” when police moved in, Martinelli said. “So we are holding this vessel for further investigation.”
President Martinelli Tweeted the above picture. From the New York Times;
“We’re going to keep unloading the ship and figure out exactly what was inside,” he said. “You cannot go around shipping undeclared weapons of war through the Panama Canal.”
Reuters quoted Javier Caraballo, Panama’s top anti-drugs prosecutor, as telling local television the ship was en route to North Korea.
The seizure comes as Panama and South Korea, Pyongyang’s sworn enemy, have been strengthening ties and exploring a possible free trade agreement.
Now let me get this straight – the two countries involved are North Korea and Cuba, arguably the two poorest nations in the world. Their people are starving, but the governments are trading sophisticated weapons technology. And to top it off, they need the weapons to export “the communist revolution” worldwide. Yeah, looks like a plan worth executing.
Category: Dumbass Bullshit
Whatever happened to “Winning their hearts and minds”? Hell, I say keep the missile parts and WE send the biggest load of Hippies and marxist college profs that we can fit on that boat straight to the Norkies!
That is clearly a Cuban espresso machine for the extra strength stuff with a real kick.
Obviously this fake evidence was planted. The North Koreans were framed. Everyone knows their nuclear missile technology is aimed at Peace!
You’re all wrong…that’s a 120mm ring gauge Cohiba robusto el magnifico in its protective case.
The two darkest nations on the face of the earth at night, conspiring to bring the rest of the planet into darkness as well….who would ever have predicted such a thing?
Considering the Panama Canal is completely run and operated by the Chinese, there is probably a lot more to this story.
Martinelli certainly isn’t influenced by the Chinese. I was in Panama during the elections in 2009 and he was the most conservative candidate in the running. He’s a self-made millionaire and has accomplished a bunch of infrastructure stuff that Panama needed badly after the Americans left. His predecessor, Martin Torrijos, was fairly conservative, too. Panama is the one ally in the region that we can count on. I think Martinelli’s term ends next Spring and Panamanian presidents only get one five year term.
I’m not an expert on the matter but have heard that China is horning in on Panama Canal business. I’m initially encouraged that Panama would risk embarrassing them, and their little Pyongyang buddy.
I’m waiting for the wave of “The US told them to stop it, stop the imperialism!!!” thing … BTW funny enough that trent is starting to pick up in Mexico I wouldn’t be surprised it hits the news in couple of months
I read this morning that the Chinese are about to spend $30 billion building a canal across Nicaragua, so I’m thinking they’re not happy with the way get treated in Panama. There are a lot more Chinese in Panama than I remember from when I was stationed there, though.
The chi-com’s have a western port that Mexico has overhauled just for them to use. When the Chinese are leery of the west coast unions, you know something has to be a foot. One batch of commies trying to outsmart the other, lol.
China, via COSCO, already controls both ends of the Panama Canal. Good thing they don’t control the Panamanian government… let’s hope Panama doesn’t elect a community organizer or we won’t be able to say that, either
#1 Infidel
Don’t forget to revoke their passports so they can’t return easily, if at all.
If you drop all those useless humans in North Korealand, all you will do is solve the hunger problem.