The Panamanian government on Friday once again granted political asylum to former Ecuadorean president Abdala Bucaram. Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis Navarro said that after studying Bucaram's case, asylum was granted for a fourth time to contribute to the stabilization of Ecuador. dpa reported Bucaram, who is accused of corruption in his home country, had returned to his native country after a top judge had pardoned him. But shortly afterward, political strife in Ecuador led to the ousting of president Lucio Gutierrez and Bucaram and several other returning former presidents had to flee Ecuador once again. Bucaram first gained asylum in Panama in 1997 after being forced out of government. ---SP 0106 Local Time 2206 GMT
