Boca la Caja and informal settlements in Panama. (June 2017) - Guardia Dall'Orso, Rodrigo
Highlights: Boca la Caja once was a settlement for fishermen and their families. It is currently wedged in between luxury apartment towers. A mix of opportunities, synergies and social anxieties stem from the juxtaposition of different income groups, as people living in both Boca la Caja and San Sebastián are very aware of the higher standards of living of those who are their 'neighbors' by proximity, yet not by affinity, because although these locales are nearby each other they are well described by a popular saying 'juntos pero no revueltos' (together, but not mixed) . The fact that Curundú was redeveloped and not Boca la Caja, and that the choice for a project site would consider the relative ease of dealing with a less educated community, as well as lower land values and untitled land, contributes to explaining the reasons for the continued existence of Boca la Caja and the persistence of its precarious conditions despite its advantageous location.