PANA CITY (AP) — On Friday, Panama’s Jose Raul Murino sought the intervention of higher authorities, reaching out to the archbishop and a rabbi, to convey a message to the protesting workers following nearly two months of social unrest that has shaken the nation.
Murino asserted that he would not retract the contentious modifications to Panama’s social security system. Approximately 5,000 workers have been laid off in the West Bocas del Toro province last month.
However, the protests persist.
During his weekly news conference on Friday, Murino revealed he had conferred with Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa and Rabbi Gustavo Krasernik, a prominent Jewish leader in Panama, enlisting their assistance as intermediaries. He presented Ulloa with a personal letter addressed to the influential Banana Trade Union leader, Francisco Smith.
In the correspondence, Murino indicated his intent to forward the proposed law to Congress, contingent upon a proposal from a former worker who ended the protests.
There is precedent for such initiatives.
Back in 2022, Ulloa facilitated discussions that quelled protests over escalating fuel and food prices. In 2018, he also played a mediating role in a conflict involving government factions.
Smith, the executive director of the Banana Industry Workers Union, stated earlier on Friday that Murino had expressed a willingness to engage in discussions. Union leaders intended to meet with the president of the National Assembly and head to the capital on Monday to submit a list of demands. Nonetheless, Smith insisted that changes to the social security reforms were imperative.
Smith, who spearheaded the protests in West Bocas del Toro, asserted that the social security reforms enacted in March endanger the special privileges granted to banana workers under various laws regarding subsidies and labor protections.
The repercussions have been significant. Chiquita reported last month a loss of at least $75 million before announcing a temporary halt to its operations in Panama.
The protests extend beyond banana workers in Bocas del Toro, encompassing similar movements among teachers, construction workers, and students at different times.
Authorities have indicated they will withhold wages for 15,000 participants due to the strikes.
On Thursday, border police clashed with demonstrators who blocked a highway in eastern Darien, resulting in injuries on both sides.
Beyond the social security reforms, demonstrators demand security contracts that allow military access to their facilities in Panama, alongside calls to resume operations at the large copper mines.
Source: apnews.com