A press release from the Panamanian Culture Ministry states that Canadian citizen Jens Jull acquired those pieces in 1970 and decided to repatriate them 50 years later.

Carlos Fitzgerald, Deputy Minister in charge and Director of International Affairs and Foreign Cooperation, emphasized that there are Panamanian pieces scattered around the world that have been looted and taken out of this country since the mid-19th century. Now, the country is in a position to claim them back, having assessed their significance.

Fitzgerald, who is also an archaeologist, noted the high value of the repatriated pieces, in view of their uniqueness and aesthetic quality, adding they may come from the border region between Veraguas and Chiriqui.

Authorities informed that Panama continues repatriating 173 other pieces of monolith, ceramics, wood, chaquira, clay, and mola, currently found in Colombia, Spain, and Mexico.

Ied/ iff/mem/ga