France honors maritime personalities with awards

Two well-known personalities of the maritime sector were honored recently in a ceremony at Panama’s French Embassy.

French Ambassador Hugues Goisbault, on behalf of his country, honored Alberto Aleman Zubieta with the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor.

In the photo (L-R). Ana Matilde de Alemán, Canal Administrator Alberto Alemán Zubieta, French Ambassador Hugues Goisbault and Michele Labrut.

Journalist Michele Labrut was presented with the French National Order of Merit

The Order of the Legion of Honor is the oldest and most prestigious French decoration. It was created by Emperor Napoleon I in 1802. Mr. Aleman Zubieta was awarded the rank of Knight in 2006.

Michele Labrut gets a kiss from the French Ambassador.

This new award is a promotion in rank order. France wants to thank Mr. Zubieta, who must retire in September 2012 as Administrator of the Panama Canal Authority. Under his leadership, the canal was converted into a worldwide services leader for the maritime industry, the cornerstone of the global transportation system and a model of excellence, integrity and transparency.

“Due to his professional, moral and ethical qualities, I particularly welcome this evening Alberto Aleman Zubieta who has maintained a transparent and efficient management of the ACP, the first company in the country, and from the results of which Panamanians will be beneficiaries for many years,” said Ambassador Goisbault .

The Ambassador also awarded Ms. Michele Labrut with the Chevalier medal of the National Order of Merit.

Michele Labrut is a French citizen and journalist who has lived in Panama for many years. She worked for ten years for the French Foreign Ministry and from 1965 to 1968 she was press attache at the French Embassy in Panama. Between 1984 and 1990 Michel worked for the newspaper The Miami Herald in Panama, and from 1987 to 1990, she was head of the NBC News office in Panama.

In the following years, she continued her work as a journalist, writing for the Bridge News agency, and then, was in charge of public relations for the Panama Canal Authority, where she met Mr. Aleman Zubieta.

Ms. Labrut specializes in international economic relations and politics of Latin American countries. She has published several books, including a biography of Omar Torrijos.

She is also editor of the “Panama Maritime Handbook”.

This medal is in recognition of her work.

This post is also available in: Spanish