Bananama Republic was Panama’s english language alternative news source. Known for its entertaining and snarky take on Panamanian events as well as its high-impact investigative journalism, our reporting and our scoops have led to arrests, questions in parliament, political mayhem and the downfall of many frauds and swindles. Editor Okke Ornstein was the most-prosecuted foreign journalist in Panama ever, largely because of the inconvenient truths the Bananama Republic blog published.
While by no means a comprehensive news site, we do pride ourselves in having caused such high-profile scandals as the revelation of the presence of Ku Klux Klan grand masters in Panama, bringing down mafia-operated teak outfits, a president involved in a narco kidnapping, rogue business leaders, the shenanigans surrounding the Panama Canal, financial shysters, corruption and a host of other bad actors. At the same time, we enthusiastically sided with the poor, people of color, the working class and what is called the indigenous population.
Some older articles (2006 and earlier) reference to this site as “Noriegaville”. In a previous incarnation, we were called The Noriegaville News.
As is to be expected, we got sued regularly by the people we expose, under Panama’s wacky “crimes against the honor” laws, or they start smear campaigns. This has never caused a story to be removed, has never led to a definitive conviction in court and has generally only sped up the demise of the complainant.
Bananama Republic is no longer actively maintained. In November 2016, Ornstein was arrested and detained in Panama for exposing government involvement with fraud and money laundering. Because of international pressure he was quickly pardoned by then-president Varela, who added that the journalist would be welcome to continue working in Panama. However, Ornstein didn’t believe him and left the country – for good.
Comments
6 responses to “About Bananama Republic”
Thrilled to see you back! I was using your investigation into Emerald Passport’s scheme and Templar Panama on my website and got several unsolicited emails from Gonzalo de la Guardia, including a veiled threat to sue me. I laughed it off and eventurally the emails stopped. This is the best unusual and investigative site from Panama. I don’t consider Eric Jackson’s site investigative for the most part although he does occasionally do some of that work. I hope you two have made up. I hate to see a long friendship break apart over events that none of us has any control over and while they may sicken us, we must go on.
Good to see you back!
To identify myself, I am an independent website designer born in, and living in Panama (unlike the editors of this site). I would just like to say that the content of this site seems intentionally false to me.
I know that the government here is corrupt, and that Martinelli is crazy, but they have done a better job than any government I can remember – which is still a mediocre job.
But that mediocrity does not justify writing exagerations about “massacres” and “narco-dictatorships”, and other disinformation. It does not justify implying my country is a “banana republic” when it is a middle-income economy with 80% of income from services.
I don’t know if you are payed by the Venezuelan government (or another organization) or if you are just too idealistic to see reality, but nothing justifies the fabrications that you are writing here – especially not your praise of the Venezuelan government. I dare you to go to Caracas and walk around at night alone if you want to see how people there suffer thanks to their government.
In conclusion, I ask you, Okke Ornstein, whoever you are, to come visit Panama and see it with all its many faults – but not to poison society with disinformation without regard for the people that actually live in this society.
Moises, the editor of this site has been living in Panama for over 10 years now, seen more of the country than many Panamanians, read more about its history, traveled it in everything from diablo rojo to private jet, seen the outside and inside of its government and justice system. I’ve been with the police doing anti-pandilla raids and interviewed FARC drugrunners and everything in between. I have a Panamanian daughter who goes to a Panamanian school. Your pulling rank is a big mistake; I really know this country inside out. You’re welcome to disagree with my opinions or observations, but you’re undermining your own argument with your ignorance about whom you are talking to.
Also, I hardly ever write about Hugo Chavez, and I find it fascinating to see how in Panama those who hold authorities accountable are routinely dismissed as his supporters who must somehow be paid by him. Give me a fucking break, will you?
As to “whomever you are”: my bio is online at ornstein.org on the about page. Enjoy!
Hi Okke,
I accept being wrong about the place you live despite it saying on this page that “Bananama Republic is published in the United States by Okke Ornstein”… but that’s OK.
I also accept that I have not read all your articles and took issue with a couple that I did read.
Maybe you do know a lot about this country… but what bothers me as a Panamanian is that the rhetoric being used by your publication does not reflect the reality of this country… to talk about a “dictatorship that is opressing Panamanians”, “Mubarak style rule”, “narco-Dictatorships”, etc, etc… I know Panama is a country with a lot of problems and it deeply hurts me.
But the reason that I can’t accept this rhetoric is because, being that my wife (and some of my work) is from Venezuela, I’ve had to travel there a lot and I’ve seen the way that this kind of name-calling and exaggeration can polarize society and cause countless problems.
I want to make clear, I don’t like Martinelli and I think he is crazy – but I don’t like when journalists push an agenda that can be detrimental to society. I’m nobody. I’m just some guy commenting on your blog and it’s because I care about my country. That’s the only reason.
If you want to disregard me, just delete my comments, but I needed to say what I needed to say.
Well, Moises, we obviously see things differently but that doesn’t mean I’m going to delete your comments. I do think though that it’s a kind of funny that you accuse me of rhetoric and hyperbole while at the same time beating the rhetorical drums yourself about how I must be a paid Chavez supporter and going on about Venezuela. You’re not the only one, by the way; I sometimes wonder if there’s anyone left in Panama who is still able to make a political argument without adding the big scary Chavez bogeyman to the mix.
By the way, the statement on the about page is because this site is registered and hosted in the US, which is sometimes important in light of Panama’s retarded press laws. That’s all.
I am a business professor from the U.S., on contract here in Panama to , teach business ethics at a local private university.
Reactions to this statement are far-ranging, though “incredulous” might be at the core for many of them.
All that acknowledged, I enjoy coming down here, learning about the culture, having conversations with my students about the country they wished they lived versus the country they actually do. There’s a wide gap to be sure. But there’s also one in the U.S. (I’m having increasing doubts about the utility and integrity of our financial sector).
I look forward to following some of the items presented here. Hopefully I will be a bit more conversant with some of the places, names and events in the country as a result.
Gracias.