At least two injured as drivers to cross protest lines

At least two people were injured on Saturday morning,  in the Horconcitos area of Chiriquí province after transport drivers attempted to move through lines of protest tors who responded with a hail of stones but the vehicles continued to move forward.

Videos released on social networks showed a man, with injuries, lying on the road, waiting to be taken to a medical center for care.

Subsequently, the National Police reported, through its Twitter account, that it detained the drivers of five vehicles involved in the incident and the Chiriquí Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported that it began an ex officio investigation for the alleged commission of the crime of attempted murder.

Several closures along the Inter-American highway continued Saturday in Aguadulce (Coclé) in Santiago (Veraguas), and at the bridge over the Pacora River (East Panama)

48-hour ultimatum
Meanwhile, the land cargo transport unions asked the Government to act immediately to reopen  the roads that have been blocked for 16 days and that “have severely affected the nation’s economy.”

“It is worrying that the most important communication routes in the country are closed causing shortages and shortages of essential products for the daily life of Panamanians,” a letter to the Government states.

The unions gave the Government a period of 48 hours, which will be fulfilled on July 25, to guarantee the free transit and security of land freight transport at the national level. Otherwise, “we will have to suspend the provision of the service to guarantee the protection of collaborators and rolling equipment,” they warned.