MINING PROTESTS: Total closures threatened for Thursday

The Alianza Pueblo Unidos (The United People Alliance) will carry out total closures for 24 hours on Thursday, November 16

The Alianza Pueblo Unido, which includes “Single Union of Construction and Similar Workers” (Suntracs), the “Association of Teachers of the Republic of Panama” (Asoprof), among other groups, announced a few days ago that this Thursday the 16th and Monday the 20th of November, they will carry out a total 24-hour closure nationwide.

According to reports, the action will begin at 7:00 am and will last until 7:00 am on Friday, November 17, and Tuesday, November 21, respectively.

The groups part of the “Alliance” , request the government that Law 406, which approves the mining concession contract for 20 years, extendable to 12,955.1 hectares, be repealed. They assured that they would maintain the closure and flyer measures until the law is eliminated, however, the popular consultation project presented by the Executive on whether Law 406 should be repealed or not was suspended.

Several experts in international law and constitutionalists have explained that the best solution for Panama to the legal problem is the ruling of the Supreme Court of Justice because, with it, Panama would have greater advantages in facing the legal process that would follow the ruling.

Meanwhile, President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, said that they would remain waiting for the ruling that the Supreme Court must issue on the unconstitutional claims that were presented against the law.

On the other hand, the groups “Panamá Vale Más Sin Minería”, “Sal de las Redes”, and “Ya es Ya” and members of civil society continue a vigil in the Court waiting for an expeditious response regarding the ruling on the lawsuits. It will be the Court that will define the fate of the mining contract, which remains in force since October 20The “Alliance indicated that the same measure of total stoppage would be taken on Monday, November 20, the day on which Minera Panamá must pay the State about $770 million corresponding to taxes and royalties for the years 2022 and 2023.

On October 24, Cortizo announced that, with this payment, an increase would be made effective for retirees who earn less than $350 a month.

He assured at that time that as of  November 20  of this year,  120,315 retirees would receive the increase.