Community Center - Centro Comunitario
Province of Herrera - Panamá
History of La Posada de Ocú
In 1944 a group of ocueños met at their local municipality to discuss the possibility of opening a social and cultural center that would also provide a place to stay for out-of-town visitors.
A social enterprise was created that same year under the name CENTRO SOCIAL DE OCU, S.A, with a capital of $ US 30,000 dollars obtained by the sale of shares prized at $50 each. Owners that claimed "possessory rights" of the land occupied by La Posada agreed to be reimbursed with shares.
The National Tourism Board of Panama (today the Ministry of Tourism) bought 400 shares; there were an additional 282 shareholders to this social enterprise.
Construction started in 1945. La Posada´s original blueprints included a terrace, a store, a bar, a rental hall that doubled as a cinema, hotel rooms and family cabins for rent. Space was also provided for a museum/library and an observation deck; these were never built as money became scarce.
​La Posada opened in 1949 with its buildings unfinished. Its first administrator received a base salary of $100.00 plus 20% off all revenue from events and activities. He was required to live at La Posada. His contract was reviewed annually, subjected to his performance.
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By 1958 La Posada was in terrible shape: good administrators were hard to come by. The building was mostly abandoned.
In 1971 Panama´s National Tourism Bureau asked shareholders to relinquish their shares so the Bureau could complete the construction and administer La Posada. This was agreed upon; however, Panama´s National Public Registry did not accept the sale, as this institution claimed that Centro Social de Ocú S.A. had only legal claim over the building and not the land it occupied, which appeared in the registry as owned by the Municipality of Ocu. In spite of the latter, the Tourism Bureau took charge of the administration of the now shabby building.
In 1992 the Tourism Authority attempted to give its shares to the Municipality of Ocú so the latter could provide for its restoration and maintenance; however, this was never legally executed. In spite of the latter, the Municipality took over the administration of La Posada.
In 2006 a group of ocueños created a new S.A. under the name Posada San Sebastian, and asked the local Municipality to sell them both its land and the building for $15,000. This sale, which was highly irregular, was later revoked by the Municipal Council.
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Between 2013 and 2014, a Spanish non-profit foundation named Castilla del Oro gifted Ocú with new blueprints for La Posada to adapt it to modern times and requirements.
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Currently La Posada has several spaces rented to a beauty parlor, a bar and an association of local artisans. The Municipality occasionally cedes other spaces for local events, mostly as a courtesy provided by the Town´s Mayor. The structure is currently in serious disrepair, as the Municipality does not spend money on maintenance and only cleans its installations once a week.
La Posada´s opening day - 1949
Tourism Poster for La Posada - 1940´s
Head to our Archives Page for La Posada´s historical documents (in Spanish)