In Alimae, Panama (AP) – On Thursday, authorities and demonstrators sustained injuries in Eastern Panama as border police attempted to block roads in Indigenous areas during a month-long protest against modifications to the national social security system.
Equipped with riot gear, border police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets, while protesters in balaclavas retaliated with slingshots and Molotov cocktails.
According to a statement from the Border Department, three officers were documented receiving medical attention. Among the demonstrators, at least one individual displayed visible pellet wounds on his back and arms, while another appeared to have significant injuries to his eye.
Residents extinguish a burning hut during a clash between anti-government protesters and police in the Indigenous Embera community of Alimaye, Panama, on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
According to an Associated Press journalist present, at least one home was seen ablaze after police fired a tear gas canister onto its roof.
The roadway was obstructed by fallen trees.
Residents, preferring anonymity due to fear of retaliation, expressed concern that one protester might lose his sight due to an eye injury sustained in the scuffle.
This small community is situated in Darien, a secluded region that borders Colombia, which had seen a significant influx of migrants earlier this year.
The ongoing protests, which have persisted for a month and a half across various regions of Panama, center on social security reforms and a new security contract
that grants access to armed forces and contractors to several installations throughout Panama.
President Jose Raul Murino has stated that he will not reverse the social security amendments nor allow demonstrators to obstruct roads.
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This report also includes contributions from AP journalist Alma Solís in Panama City.
Source: apnews.com