Panama president wants to remove passport requirement to enter Costa Rica

Panama’s President Ricardo Martinelli asked his Costa Rican counterpart Laura Chinchilla to allow citizens of Costa Rica and Panama to visit each other’s country only with a cédula (identification card). Martinelli hopes to speed up the entrance process between the two countries, according to the weekly El Financiero.

The presidents met at the XXIX Expocomer Fair in Panama City, a convention that promotes business, trade and investment in the Panama region.

As result of the meetings the legislators signed a memorandum to further discuss the issue of simplifying the border crossing process. The presidents also pledged to better integrate Panama’s Caribbean province of Bocas Del Toro region to Golfito in Costa Rica as well as work together in a tourism campaign.

Chinchilla was chosen to inaugurate the expo and broke ground on the construction of Panama City’s new subway.