Torrijos' good friend Mireya Moscoso seems to be in a bit of trouble these days.

Wow! For the first time in years, La Prensa publishes a story about corruption at presidential levels. Okay, it's the former president, corruption queen Mireya Moscoso, but it's a start after almost half a decade of deafening silence from the 12 de Octubre.

What has she done this time? Remember that house she stole, in Punta Mala, to have orgies with other Pizzafistas? She's secretly and of course illegally building stuff, the latest being a breakwater to protect that yacht she bought. All with stolen money and durodolares. And now La Prensa found out about the breakwater and the Maritime Authority is investigating. Of course nothing will be done. Moscoso should have been thrown in jail immediately after leaving office, but since we now have a government that is even more corrupt than hers that of course never happened.

Will La Prensa become a serious newspaper again? Don't hold your breath. Their agenda these days is to have Balbina elected because that's what Eisenmann and the advertisers and the Mottas want, and this just serves as a reminder to the public what they'll get should they get it in their heads to vote for the opposition. That's all. Monica Palm has always been a whore anyway.

Benjamin Colamarco, the current Minister of Public Works, is a man of tradition. Once a goon, always a goon. The spiritual and organizational father of Noriega's Dignity Battalions is still, in his heart, a batallonero; a street thug with a desire to move up in the world. And so, the Friday before the PRD congress, he wanted to do the rounds to get the votes for the vice-presidency of the Pineapple Party. But, as a Minister, one is of course supposed to go to work. Colamarco then used the old trick of faking a Royoian throat ailment: He was unable to speak, it was really very serious, and he could not possibly be expected to show up at work.

Then he went to a breakfast meeting with the terrorist leader of the National Assembly and the delegates of the PRD from the Dariën in hotel - where else - Plaza Paitilla Inn. But there was also a photographer from La Prensa, Ana Teresa Rentería. and, knowing that the fearless Comandante Colamarco was supposed to be very, very, ill and in bed, she took pictures of him being miraculously cured and enjoying his meeting.

Soon, the goons showed up. Men in suits with bulbs under their arms. They demanded the pictures. The photographer refused. Arguing back and forth. Eventually La Prensa caved in and ordered the digital images erased. But that wasn't enough to release Mrs. Rentería, who was a sort of kept hostage for hours at the Paitilla Inn. The story can be read in today's La Prensa, but what did La Prensa DO about it? Sued the government for millions of dollars? Filed a complaint for illegal acts by Comandante Colamarco and his goons? Well, dear reader, La Prensa did absolutely nothing at all. It's a PRD paper, remember? They haven't cared about press freedom since the 2004 campaign.

Meanwhile, Comandante Colamarco is said to become the Piñadista candidate for mayor of Panama City. Voting for him sends a clear message. The message is that you're crazy and you want some dictatorship nutcase to rule the city.

Real estate alert! Remember Red Frog Beach Club? Trouble with SUNTRACS, trouble with environmentalists, trouble with the authorities, land disputes. Result: Virtually no work is being done and the project is basically dead. As in: Will never be finished. Next? Of course there is a next. Isla Viveros, in the Las Perlas archipelago.

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