Diablo Rojo: Catching a Last Ride With Panama’s Mobile Art Movement

Much like the jeepney culture of the Philippines, Panama’s own mobile art movement — known as  Diablo Rojo – shares some similar traits. In the developing country, the public buses known as Diablo Rojo often know no rules or boundaries when it comes to both adherence of traffic laws and more notably, its art. Bus drivers often hire kitschy albeit talented artists to respectively shore up and provide identity and character to the driver’s bus. This often correlates closely with the personality of Panama culture which exudes a level of flash that few shy away from. Among the most well-known artists, Andrés Salazar discusses his trade which unfortunately has fallen the wayside as daily commuters trade in the charismatic nature of Diablo Rojo for the modern and air-conditioned buses that have replaced them.