Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

José Antonio Remón Cantera (11 April 1908 – 2 January 1955) was the 29th

President of Panama This article lists the heads of state of Panama since the short-lived first independence from the Republic of New Granada in 1840 and the final separation from Colombia in 1903. Free State of the Isthmus (1840–1841) Republic of Panama (19 ...

, holding office from 1 October 1952 until his death on January 2, 1955. He was Panama's first military strongman and ruled the country behind the scenes in the late 1940s. He belonged to the

National Patriotic Coalition The National Patriotic Coalition (in Spanish: ''Coalición Patriótica Nacional'', CPN) was a Panamanian conservative nationalist political party. It was founded in advance of the election of 1952 to support the presidential aspirations of Colonel ...

(CNP), and was its candidate for president in May 1952. He joined the National Police in 1931, becoming its chief in 1947. In this position, he was responsible for the coup against acting president

Daniel Chanis Pinzón Daniel Chanis Pinzón (20 November 1892 in Panama City – 22 January 1961) was Panamanian politician and physician. As First Vice President of Domingo Díaz Arosemena he became President of Panama on July 28, 1949, and served until Novemb ...

. Beginning in 1953, his administration began to negotiate amendments to the Panama Canal treaty with the U.S. administration of President

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

. These negotiations led to an agreement, ratified in 1955, that substantially raised the annual annuity paid to Panama (from $430,000 to $1.9 million) and resulted in the handover of approximately $20 million in property from the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...

Company to Panama. General José Remón was the strong man behind the scenes during the 1940s. He engineered several coups that ousted Dr.

Arnulfo Arias Arnulfo Arias Madrid (15 August 1901 – 10 August 1988) was a Panamanian politician, medical doctor, and writer who served as the President of Panama from 1940 to 1941, again from 1949 to 1951, and finally for 11 days in October 1968. Throu ...

and two other presidents from power. "Neither millions nor almswe want justice" was Remón's most memorable statement of principles. In 1952 Remón went on to be "elected"

in a very questionable election replete with many clear examples of fraud and police interference in Remon's favor. He was Panama's first military strong man, deposing and appointing presidents as he desired. After eschewing political positions, he turned around and ran for president in 1952. The opposition was bullied and persecuted during the campaign and on election day. He was declared the winner in May 1952. On 2 January 1955, Remón was ambushed at a race track and fired upon by three assailants armed with sub-machine guns. The incident took place at 7:30 pm; Remón died in hospital two hours later. Two other men were killed in the attack, including one of Remón's bodyguards.

Murder investigation

The circumstances concerning Remón's death were mysterious. During the initial investigation, an American, Martin Irving Lipstein, was arrested, but later released when Rubén O. Miró, an attorney, confessed to the crime on 12 January 1955. Lipstein also had an alibi, with several witnesses having seen him in places far away from the racetrack at which Remón was killed (the Hipódromo Juan Franco), at about the same time. In his confession, Miró claimed that he had been acting on orders from

José Ramón Guizado José Ramón Guizado Valdés (13 August 1899 – 2 November 1965) was the 17th President of Panama. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition (CNP). Education Guizado is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University, having earned a Bachelor ...

, who had succeeded Remón as president. Guizado was removed from his post and arrested on 15 January, and convicted of complicity on 29 March. He denied any complicity but after a highly emotional trial, he was sentenced to six years and eight months in jail but was released in December 1957, after Miró and six other suspected perpetrators were acquitted. The murder was never solved. Guizado moved to Spain and claimed his complete innocence all his life. Miró, the playboy son of a Supreme Court judge, was abducted in broad daylight as he exited a bank in downtown Panama City. He was never seen again.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Remon Cantera, Jose Antonio Remon Cantera, Jose Antonio Remon Cantera, Jose Antonio Remon Cantera, Jose Antonio Remon Cantera Remon Cantera, Jose Antonio People murdered in Panama Deaths by firearm in Panama Assassinated heads of government National Patriotic Coalition politicians 1955 murders in North America 1955 crimes in Panama 1950s murders in Panama

Murder investigation

See also

References