Periódico Casco Antiguo News Edición 12 - ABRIL 2017 | Page 17

ABRIL DE 2017
PERSONAJES the centralist power of Bogota . He knew that from one moment to other Colombian troops would arrive in Panama , and the most accessible port was Colon .
On November 3 , 1903 , when the events occurred in Panama , at the Pacific coast , Colombian troops , five hundred men from the fearsome Battalion Tiradores , arrived Colon on board the Cartagena cruiser , with the mission of relieving General Huertas from command in Panama .
The American owners of the Panama Railroad , involved in the independence movements , prevented the colombian generals Juan B . Tovar , Ramón G . Amaya and three other officers from traveling to Panama .
Upon their arrival in the capital , they are arrested by General Huertas , proclaimed independence and proceed to organize the defense .
Martínez , Henríquez , Clement and General Alejandro A . Ortiz ( head of the Colon Police ), Serafín Achurra ( commander in chief of the garrison ) and Luis F . Estenoz are summoned on the morning of November 4 by Porfirio Meléndez , who Informs them of what happened and that it has authorization from the Provisional Government Board to lead the patriotic movement .
The patriots decided to coordinate efforts with Colonel J . R . Shaler , manager of the railroad company , who informed them of the arrival of American warships from one moment to another .
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Calle principal de Colón en 1906 . Foto : panamahistory . com
Porfirio Meléndez y su hija Aminta Torres
Aminta Meléndez y acompañada de su padre Porfirio . Foto : Cortesía César del Vasto
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