Gay groups have withdrawn from this year's Carnival parades in the
Central American country of Panama after official efforts to censor
their particpation, La Prensa reported.
"We do not want to relive the bitter experiences of last year," said
Ricardo Beteta, president of the Association of New Men and Women
(AHMNP), referring to the banning on "moral grounds" of cross-dressing
parade participants last year.
Even though gays will not participate in
the Panama City parade, the "gay queen," 21-year-old Mariangel
Santander, will attend smaller carnival events in nearby Colon five
days after the main celebrations.
La Prensa reported that cross-dressing and the use of masks to cover
faces is still prohibited in many parts of the Panama. Despite that
fact, Carnival is an extremely popular event, paralyzing the capital
city for two weeks.
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