Latest news with #stateOfEmergency
Malay Mail
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘Vandals took over the airport': State of emergency declared in Panama as protests escalate
PANAMA CITY, June 21 — Panama yesterday declared a state of emergency in western Bocas del Toro province, where anti-government protesters are accused of setting fire to a baseball stadium and looting businesses, including a provincial airport. The protests, which erupted two months ago in Bocas del Toro — a major banana-producing region — intensified this week, culminating in clashes with police that left one person dead and around 30 people, including several officers, injured, the police said. Over 50 people were arrested over the unrest. The clashes came after a huge police contingent was deployed to try to clear roads that protesters had blocked with tree trunks for weeks. The violence peaked in the city of Changuinola on Thursday, where groups of hooded individuals looted businesses and partially set fire to a baseball stadium with police officers inside, the authorities said. The police said that 'vandals' also 'took over' the airport, stole vehicles belonging to car rental companies and looted an office and a warehouse containing supplies belonging to US banana giant Chiquita Brands. The Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, said that the government had decided to declare a state of emergency and suspend constitutional guarantees in all of Bocas del Toro, 'in order to restore peace and order.' He said the ban on public gatherings aimed to prevent 'radical and criminal groups gathering to organise acts of violence and vandalism which endanger property and people.' A woman shouts slogans during a rally against the government of Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino in Panama City June 20, 2025. — AFP Right-wing President Jose Raul Mulino has been facing protests on several fronts in recent months. Chiquita workers in Bocas del Toro went on strike in late April over pension reforms adopted by Congress in April, which workers say will force them to work longer. Chiquita sacked thousands of workers over the strike. The banana growers' unions called off their protest last week in a bid to reverse the layoffs but other groups have remained at the barricades. Besides the pension reforms, Panamanians have also been in the streets over a deal Mulino struck with US President Donald Trump in April allowing US troops to deploy to Panamanian bases along the Panama Canal. Mulino made the concession to Trump after the US leader repeatedly threatened to 'take back' the US-built waterway. Mulino has also angered environmentalists by threatening to reopen one of Central America's biggest copper mines. — AFP
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Panama suspends constitutional protections in the northwest after destructive protests
Panama suspended constitutional protections, including the rights to assemble and of free movement, 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.' He said the damage caused overnight was 'unacceptable and did not represent a legitimate protest.' 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. Last week, the government sent some 1,500 more police to the province with the objective clearing protest roadblocks. Security Minister Frank Abrego left open the possibility of sending more on Friday. 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. Flights at the airport were still suspended Friday. 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. ____
Al Arabiya
21 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
21 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
The Sun
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Israel launches strike on Iran as explosions rocked Tehran and state of emergency declared over nuclear threats
ISRAEL has launched strikes against Tehran and declared a nationwide state of emergency as it braces for a retaliatory attack. The defence minister said Israel launched a volley of "preemptive strikes" against several targets in Iran, with smoke seen rising from the capital Tehran. 1 The escalation comes hours after Trump warned of the chance of a "massive conflict" between the nations. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz declares a "special state of emergency". He said: "Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future." Explosions were reported in Iran's capital Tehran. Israel has issued emergency guidance in anticipation of retaliatory strikes. .
