Teachers join protest against mining contract

Tuesday, March 24 heralded a continuation of protests against the precipitous endorsement by President Cortizo of the Minera Mining contract by the National Assembly after 40 minutes debate on Friday. 

The signing sparked a march on the president’s residence on  Sunday and nationwide protests: Corredor Sur, the Domingo Díaz roads (Brisas del Golf), and the Ricardo J. Alfaro, in the capital, were some of the points that were closed, on this Tuesday, October 24, by workers affiliated with the Single Union of Construction and Similar Workers (Suntracs).

The Centenario road, near Merca Panama, and the Bridge of the Americas, were also blocked this Tuesday morning, as part of the day of protests

A group of teachers gathered in Vía España, in the Iglesia del Carmen, in rejection of the new law, and students from the School of Biology of the University of Panama joined.

After 9:00 a.m., members of the Suntracs resumed forced actions in the streets. There are also closures on the Inter-American highway, in Arraiján, on the Mariano Rivera highway in La Chorrera, in front of the Nicolás Solano hospital, as well as in the province of Colón.

“Selling the country is not an option,” said the general secretary of Suntracs, Saúl Méndez, who added that the actions in the streets will continue; Méndez reiterated that Law 406 of October 20, 2023, sanctioned last Friday by the President of, Laurentino Cortizo, is a “contract that sells the country and damages national sovereignty.”