Latest news with #JoséRaúlMulino
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Panama Suspends Constitutional Protections in the Northwest After Destructive Protests
Panama suspended constitutional protections for five days in its northwestern Bocas del Toro province Friday after two months of protests and road blockades turned more destructive the previous night. Presidential Minister Juan Carlos Orillac said in a news conference that the move would allow the government to reestablish order and rescue the province from extremist groups. What began as nationwide protests against changes to the social security system morphed Thursday night into people damaging the local airport and the facilities of banana giant Chiquita Brands, which fired thousands of striking workers in the province last month. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino had said at the time that the banana workers' strike was illegal and included some 5,000 workers. On May 27, the government declared a state of emergency in the province without suspending constitutional protections. But actions by masked people authorities described as criminals overnight led Mulino to announce Thursday night that he would meet with his Cabinet Friday to take action. The perpetrators forced their way into the airport in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro's main city, where they vandalized cars and started a fire in the local baseball stadium. They sacked Chiquita's shuttered facility and destroyed a local office of the National Civil Defense Service. Protests, marches, and occasional roadblocks have stretched from one end of the country to the other as teachers, construction workers, and other unions rejected changes the government said were necessary to keep the social security system solvent. Demonstrations have occasionally turned violent, but the forced entrance of people to the airport and banana facility overnight triggered Friday's government reaction. Earlier this month, Mulino brought in a Catholic archbishop and a rabbi to act as mediators with protesters. Last week, Panama's Congress approved a new law for the banana sector that was part of an agreement to end the strike by protecting workers' benefits like medical assistance and labor protections under the new social security regime.
Washington Post
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Panama suspends constitutional protections in the northwest after destructive protests
PANAMA CITY — Panama suspended constitutional protections for five days in its northwestern Bocas del Toro province Friday after two months of protests and road blockades turned more destructive the previous night. Presidential Minister Juan Carlos Orillac said in a news conference that the move would allow the government to reestablish order and 'rescue the province' from 'radical groups.' What began as nationwide protests against changes to the social security system morphed Thursday night into people damaging the local airport and the facilities of banana giant Chiquita Brands, which fired thousands of striking workers in the province last month. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino had said at the time that the banana workers' strike was illegal and included some 5,000 workers. On May 27, the government declared a state of emergency in the province without suspending constitutional protections. But actions by masked people authorities described as criminals overnight led Mulino to announce Thursday night that he would meet with his Cabinet Friday to take action. The perpetrators forced their way into the airport in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro's main city, where they vandalized cars and started a fire in the local baseball stadium. They sacked Chiquita's shuttered facility and destroyed a local office of the National Civil Defense Service. Protests, marches and occasional roadblocks have stretched from one end of the country to the other as teachers, construction workers and other unions rejected changes the government said were necessary to keep the social security system solvent. Demonstrations have occasionally turned violent, but the forced entrance of people to the airport and banana facility overnight triggered Friday's government reaction. Earlier this month, Mulino brought in a Catholic archbishop and a rabbi to act as mediators with protesters. Last week, Panama's Congress approved a new law for the banana sector that was part of an agreement to end the strike by protecting workers' benefits like medical assistance and labor protections under the new social security regime. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
Associated Press
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Panama and Venezuela to restore consular services in each other's countries
PANAMA CITY (AP) — Panama and Venezuela will restore consular services in each other's countries in the coming days, Panama's Foreign Affairs Ministry said late Thursday, nearly a year after Panama suspended them following questionable Venezuelan elections that reelected President Nicolás Maduro. 'Due to the imperative need to attend to the consular issues of their citizens,' the two countries agreed to reactivate their consular services, the ministry said in a statement. The diplomatic break came July 29, 2024, when Panama pulled its diplomats from Caracas and announced it was suspending relations with Venezuela. It followed elections the day before in which the opposition declared fraud and offered evidence that Maduro had been roundly defeated. Panama President José Raúl Mulino gave his support to the Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who had visited Panama weeks earlier. Venezuela suspended flights between both countries, including those by Panamanian national carrier Copa Airlines. Flights were reestablished May 22 this year. Panama had also insisted that Venezuela agree to receive migrants from its country moving south through Panama, but there was no mention of that issue in Thursday's statement.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China condemns US ‘malign influence' over Panama's plan to replace Huawei towers
Following a US announcement of a project in Panama to replace communications towers installed by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, Beijing has condemned what it calls Washington's 'malign influence' in Latin America. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the region was 'not the backyard of anyone' and accused the US of 'politicising economic, trade and scientific and technological issues'. He rejected US claims that Huawei's equipment posed any national security threat and said that China's dealings with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were built on 'mutual respect'. The statement was a response to an announcement by the US embassy in Panama promoting a new US$8 million initiative to replace Huawei telecoms equipment with 'secure American technology' at 13 sites in the country. Nor was China alone in its discontent. Last week, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino spoke at length about liberties he said the US embassy had taken in announcing the project. Developed in coordination with Panama's Ministry of Public Security, the plan includes the installation of seven new towers across four provinces.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China condemns US ‘malign influence' after plan to replace Huawei towers in Panama is unveiled
Following a US announcement of a project in Panama to replace communications towers installed by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, Beijing has condemned what it calls Washington's 'malign influence' in Latin America. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the region was 'not the backyard of anyone' and accused the US of 'politicising economic, trade and scientific and technological issues'. He rejected US claims that Huawei's equipment posed any national security threat and said that China's dealings with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were built on 'mutual respect'. The statement was a response to an announcement by the US embassy in Panama promoting a new US$8 million initiative to replace Huawei telecoms equipment with 'secure American technology' at 13 sites in the country. Nor was China alone in its discontent. Last week, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino spoke at length about liberties he said the US embassy had taken in announcing the project. Developed in coordination with Panama's Ministry of Public Security, the plan includes the installation of seven new towers across four provinces.
