The province of Colón regained one of its main historic symbols with the re-installation of the monument to the Liberador Simón Bolívar, located at the entrance of the city, at an event that coincided with the commemoration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Union, League and Perpetual Confederation of the Amptionic Congress of Panama of 1826.

The date also marks the 75th anniversary of the donation of the bronze sculpture by the Republic of Venezuela to the colonist people in July 1951, a gesture that strengthened the historic bonds between both nations that today gain a new meaning with the recovery of this heritage.

The ceremony began with the establishment of a floral offering that brought together national authorities, representatives of civic organizations and members of the community, who emphasized the historic and cultural value of the monument as a symbol of Latin American integration and the legacy of the Liberator.

The office of the historic centre of Colón coordinated the work of transferring and interacting the sculptural piece as well as the selection of the new place and the construction of a marble base and foot for its re-installation.

The project was developed by means of a joint work by the National Director of Museums, the National Directorate of Cultural Heritage, the Office of the historic centre of Colón, the private company, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bolivarian Society of Panama and other allied institutions that united efforts to make it possible to rescue this important monument.

The Minister of Culture, María Eugenia Herrera, emphasized that the recovery of the sculpture represents a commitment to historic memory and to the values that inspired Simón Bolívar.

"To honor the memory of the Liberator is to maintain vivid principles such as dialogue, cooperation and integration among peoples. In a town as Colón, characterized by its diversity and as a meeting point of cultures, this monument takes up a profound meaning for present and future generations," she said.

For his part, the Minister with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and President of the Bolivarian Society of Panama, Carlos Guevara Mann, referred to the restitution of the monument as "an act of justice, civic and love for the homeland," and called on the public to reactivate the historic Bolivarian Circle of Colón, inspired by the ideals of freedom, democracy and good governance promoted by the Liberator.

The recovery of his monument to Simón Bolívar adds to his actions to preserve his historic heritage and to promote spaces that strengthen his national identity. Colón, with his intervention, regains not only one of his most representative monumental pieces but reaffirms his importance as a stage of American history and integrationist thought.