José Antonio Remón Cantera


José Antonio Remón Cantera was the 29th President of Panama, holding office from 1 October 1952 until his death in 1955. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition.
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.
Beginning in 1953, his administration began to negotiate amendments to the Panama Canal treaty with the U.S. administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. These negotiations led to an agreement, ratified in 1955, that substantially raised the annual annuity paid to Panama and resulted in the handover of approximately $20 million in property from the Panama Canal Company to Panama.
General José Remón was the man behind the scenes of several coups that ousted Dr. Arnulfo Arias from power, and arguably the true founder of the social reforming militarism that was later dubbed "Torrijismo" after General Omar Torrijos. "Neither millions nor almswe want justice" was Remón's most memorable statement of principles. Remón went on to be elected President of Panama in 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, at about the same time.
In his confession, Miró claimed that he had been acting on orders from José Ramón Guizado, 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 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.