First Printing Press Arrives in Panama

The tension between the regions of Azuero and Veraguas peaked when the first printing press arrived in Panama in 1820. Under the guidance of José María Goitía, the press was used to create a newspaper called La Miscelánea. Panamanians Mariano Arosemena, Manuel María Ayala, and Juan José Calvo, as well as Colombian Juan José Argote, formed the writing team of the new newspaper, whose stories would circulate throughout every town in the isthmus. The newspaper was put to use for the cause of independence, circulating stories expounding the virtues of liberty, independence, and the teachings of the French Revolution, as well as stories of the great battles of Bolívar, the emancipation of the United States from their British masters, and the greatness of men such as Santander, Jose Martí, and other such messengers of freedom. Due to the narrow area of circulation, those in the capital were able to transmit these intoxicating ideals to other separatists, such as those in Azuero. In Veraguas, however, there remained a strict sense of loyalty to the Spanish Crown.