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image source, Getty Images
The protests in Panama have been going on for more than a week.
After more than a week of protests and roadblocks, the Panamanian government convened a dialogue table with the various sectors participating in the mobilizations.
The president of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, pointed out that “the idea is that we find together viable and feasible solutions to the problems that afflict society.”
But the call has not been heeded by various sectors and the demonstrations continue.
The trigger for the protests was the sustained rise in fuel prices -more than 40% in the last six months-, but later the demands were extended to issues such as government spending, lack of health, education and employment.
In addition to the street demonstrations, there have also been blockades on the main highways, which has caused shortages in Panama City, the country’s capital.
“The cup of tolerance and patience that the Panamanian people showed for several [administraciones] it overflowed with the price of fuel, which is abusive, among other things,” Miguel Antonio Bernal, professor of political science at the University of Panama, told the AP news agency.
Although the government announced earlier this week the freezing of the gasoline tariff and a 10% reduction in the workforce of official employees, the protests continued, which led to calling a dialogue to remedy the crisis.
The negotiating table was inaugurated at the City of Knowledge Convention Center, located in the country’s capital, with the presence of representatives of the Catholic Church and several government officials.
According to the local press, on the outskirts of the Convention Center, the workers of the Union of Workers of the Construction and Similar Industries (Suntracs) and the National Front for the Defense of Economic and Social Rights of Panama (Frenadeso), continue with the demonstrations and reject the government’s call because they consider it a “dialogue between me and me”.
image source, ROGELIO FIGUEROA
The protests began after a new rise in fuel prices.
What happens in Panama?
Different Panamanian union sectors decided to take to the streets last week to protest a new increase in fuel prices.
According to official reports, the price of fuel had increased by up to 47% between January and July, which triggered the first demonstrations.
But that was only the beginning.
Union organizations such as the United People for Life Alliance and the National Alliance for the Rights of the Organized People (Anadepo), called for demonstrations at the national level to demand not only effective action against rising prices, but also the reduction of government spending. government, the increase in the education budget and a general rise in wages.
According to the NGO Transparency International Panama, the protests are the result “of a management characterized by a dramatic public indebtedness that is destined for what appear to be discretionary uses motivated by political objectives, and not to provide public services and less to the creation of jobs and opportunities”as noted in a statement.
The main union demands focused on reducing the personnel hired by the State and achieving a salary adjustment – which according to the different entities has not occurred since the 1980s – and an increase in the public budget for education.
Measures and more mobilizations
As a result of the massive protests, between Monday and Tuesday, President Cortizo announced a package of measures to end the crisis.
image source, Getty Images
The president of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, announced measures to try to tackle the crisis, but these have not been effective.
Among them is the freezing of the price of gasoline, as well as the price of 10 basic products of the family basket.
He also announced a 10% reduction in the state workforce, in addition to the suspension of the hiring of staff in Congress and the control of fuel spending for government entities by 50%.
However, both Alianza Pueblo Unidos por la Vida and Anadepo They rejected the measures and called for new demonstrations.
The reduction of the state workforce only means “that there will be more unemployed people. And that is hunger,” according to what Saúl Méndez, a representative of Suntracs, told the EFE agency.
In addition, one of the main requests that the union representatives had made was that the cost of a gallon of gasoline, which is now US$3.78, be reduced to US$3, but they do not agree with the decision to simply freeze it in their current cost.
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