Kenneth Franklin Darlington Salas, 77, of Paitilla, Panama City, Panama is a retired lawyer and university professor. Born in Colon, Panama, he is a citizen of both Panama and the United States.
Darlington was employed as a spokesman for Panamanian accountant Marc Harris, who was convicted of money laundering and tax evasion. In 2004, the later was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
In 2005, Darlington was arrested after an AK-47, an M-16 and other weapons were found in his apartment in Panama City. A court accepted his plea that the weapons were part of a collection and he was acquitted.
On November 7, 2023, Darlington confronted climate change protesters blocking a section of the Pan-American Highway in Chame District, Panamá Oeste Province, Panama. Photographers and television crews witnessed how he drew his gun on the protesters.
For three weeks, the protesters have been campaigning against the Panamanian government’s agreement with the Canadian firm First Quantum Minerals to run for at least another 20 years the biggest open-pit copper mine in Central America. The area where the mine is located is environmentally sensitive.
On October 20, 2023, the agreement was signed into law. In return, First Quantum Minerals promises $375 million in annual revenue to Panama.
As Darlington began clearing the blockade, he waved his gun at the protesters. While arguing with the protesters, he opened fire, striking three of the protesters including Abdiel Díaz Chavez, a teacher, and Iván Rodríguez Mendoza, 62, a teacher’s husband.
Diaz died at the scene. Rodriguez was rushed to the Juan Vega Méndez clinic in San Carlos, Panamá Oeste Province where he was pronounced dead.
The third victim is still in the hospital. Darlington was arrested and charged with murder and illegal possession of a gun.
On November 8, 2023, Darlington appeared before a judge in La Espiga de La Chorrera, Panamá Oeste. He was remanded in custody after a two-hour hearing and will be back in court on November 15, 2023.
CONAN Daily 