Decision coming on Ubers future

THE FUTURE of Uber and Cabify in Panama will be announced shortly by President Juan Carlos Varela.

He said on Tuesday. Oct 17 that in the next “days or weeks”  new regulations will be published.for transport platforms operating in the country, such as the American Uber or the Spanish Cabify.

The taxi drivers have recently staged several protests against Uber, who arrived in Panama in March 2014. and has become very popular especially in the Panamanian capital. They call for the prohibition of this type of platform supposed unfair competition.

Varela, however, has refused to ban the platforms because, in his opinion, they are an alternative source of income for many Panamanians and do not represent any kind of competition for taxi drivers, as it is a “more exclusive” service.

But Varela   has criticized Uber for  allowing payment in cash and often reiterates that the problem that afflicts taxi drivers is not about the “app”, but with the oversupply and the excess of licenses that were issued during previous administrations.

Tuesday’s statements by Varela coincide with protests over new sanctions on pirate buses announced on Monday, reports TVN.