The Vandalizing of Businesses Continues in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro.  Police Arrest Protestors During Clashes

A total of 140 people were arrested by the National Police Friday night June 20, and Saturday morning, June 21, following the unrest in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro province.   Also during the protests, a gas station, a car rental company, a telephone company, a supermarket, an optician’s, and facilities belonging to the Chiquita Panama company were vandalized.

Gang Members have Food Delivered by a Mayor and 2 Representatives says the Minister of Public Security Frank Ábrego

According to Ábrego, a support network involving local political figures is behind the acts of vandalism. The minister also clarified that neither Sitraibana nor the teachers protesting against Law 462 are linked to the acts of violence and looting in Changuinola. “There is a mayor and two district representatives who have been bringing food and money to these groups,” the Minister of Public Security stated. In other news, Police forces take control of the Changuinola Airport in Bocas del Toro and a police officer was injured by a gunshot, also in Changuinola.

The Outskirts of Changuinola are Risk Zones and Merchants are Arming Themselves

This Sunday, June 22, the Changuinola district woke up to the tension that has built up over the past few days, marked by looting, vandalism, and clashes.  Something similar happened at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labor and Workforce Development (Mitradel) in Changuinola, where the offices were vandalized.  In the absence of protection, some merchants have opted to defend themselves with weapons or their own means.

Political Party Leaders React to the State of Emergency Declared in Bocas del Toro

After the government of President José Raúl Mulino declared a state of emergency in Bocas del Toro due to the violent incidents occurring in the province, several political party leaders reacted.  They stated that this decision goes beyond what is permitted by the National Constitution and represents a violation of rights such as freedom of expression and communication.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Vandalized in Bocas del Toro

Statement: We reiterate our commitment to the people of Bocas del Toro and call for calm and respect. The regional headquarters of the Ministry of Labor and Workforce Development (Mitradel), located on Finca 12 in Changuinola, in the province of Bocas del Toro, was vandalized on the night of Saturday, June 21, the agency reported in an official statement on Sunday. 

Investigations are Underway Regarding the Discovery of Fireworks in Veraguas that were Allegedly Used in the Protests

The National Police reported on the afternoon of Saturday, June 21, that they had seized fireworks in the province of Veraguas, which were allegedly intended for use in the protests.  It was reported that the merchandise was detected as part of an operation carried out jointly with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Panama has declared a state of emergency in western Bocas del Toro province, where antigovernment protesters opposing a pension reform law are accused of setting fire to a baseball stadium and of looting businesses, including a provincial airport. The protests that 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 injured about 30 people, including several officers, police said on Friday.

Disasters caused by protesters can be seen on the streets, for example, a burned-out car after a protest this Saturday in Changuinola.  Members of the Crowd Control Unit (UCM) react during a demonstration this Saturday in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, Panama.  The province of Bocas del Toro, Panama’s banana-growing region, woke up to a state of emergency declared by the government to deal with the escalating violence caused by protests against a social security reform. 

After Declaring a State of Emergency in Bocas del Toro the Panama Government Reported 192 Arrests

Pictured above is a cleanup operation carried out Sunday in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro province. Damage to public structures, businesses, and vehicles has been reported amid riots and looting. Authorities assure that recovery will be a collaborative effort. Thirty-one of the 43 previously closed closures have now reopened.  Since last Friday, when the government of President José Raúl Mulino declared a state of emergency in the province of Bocas del Toro, 192 people have been arrested, according to official figures.  During a press conference held on the afternoon of Sunday, June 22, Government Minister Dinoska Montalvo reported that work continues to restore roads and restore security in the region.