Gatineau couple survives violent attack in Panama

A road trip across the Americas took a violent turn for a couple from Gatineau, Quebec, when they were attacked by armed assailants in Panama last week.

Geneviève Plouffe and Martin Audette were inside their converted bus near the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal on October 28 when three men opened fire and forced their way into the vehicle. The couple had been in bed watching television with their dog when the attack began at around 10 p.m. Plouffe recalled hearing loud banging on the bus before Audette opened the door to confront three men claiming to be police officers. When Audette refused to let them in, the attackers began shooting.

Plouffe attempted to call for help, but she said the calls were dropped multiple times. The assailants dragged Audette outside and beat him with a hammer and a gun's butt. Meanwhile, others entered the bus and demanded money, threatening to kill Plouffe if she didn’t comply.

"He was screaming, 'Where is the cash?'" she recalled. "Another one arrived with a big machine gun. He put it in my mouth and a cushion in my face."

At one point, when she could no longer hear her husband’s screams, Plouffe feared he had been killed. The attackers eventually fled, and police arrived 30 minutes later. However, paramedics took four hours to reach the scene. Audette sustained bruises, head lacerations that required stitches, and lost an earlobe and a tooth.

Authorities in Panama declined to comment on the case, citing privacy laws.

Limited Canadian Embassy Support
After the attack, Plouffe reached out to the Canadian Embassy in Panama for help. She found their response lacking. "The only thing they could do was send us a link for a private lawyer and another to ask the Government of Canada for financial assistance," Plouffe explained. She added that six days had passed since she submitted a request for financial aid but had not received any response.

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada confirmed it was aware of the assault, stating it was in contact with both local authorities and the victims to provide consular assistance. However, they could not disclose further details due to privacy reasons.

The couple is now focusing on their recovery while planning their safe return to Canada.

A Dream Cut Short
Plouffe and Audette, known as Jajadabus on social media, had planned their trip across South America during the COVID-19 pandemic. They bought a bus and spent 18 months converting it into their home on wheels.

"We sold everything in Canada just to put everything in the bus and to start that amazing journey together," Plouffe said.

Two years ago, they set out on a five-year journey across the Americas. The attack, however, has ended their travels prematurely. "My journey right now, today, it's finished. I'm very not interested to go somewhere else or to travel right now, but I think it's normal," Plouffe reflected. "We are alive… It's the most important thing."