President Martin Torrijos of Panama speaks to the media.

Torrjos has spoken out forcefully against the proposal by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to build a road through the Dariin Gap, so named because of the gap it represents in the Pan-American Highway. Uribe says a road would mitigate the economic ravages of a decades-long conflict in his country by allowing Colombian goods to move north at less cost.

"I won't make any decision on the road during my term," Torrijos said. "We have many questions that must be answered before we can even think of building a road."