After Bocas del Toro’s Normalization the Humanitarian Bridge will be Completed this Friday
After more than two months of tension, unrest, and road closures, the communities that had blocked access to Bocas del Toro finally reached an agreement with the authorities and decided to reopen the access roads.
Changuinola, Bocas del Toro: The National Aeronaval Service (Senan) announced that the humanitarian air and sea bridge implemented in the province of Bocas del Toro will end operations Friday, July 4, due to the roadblocks that isolated the region for more than two months. According to the institution, once the situation was regularized and communications, roads, commerce, and hospital operations were restored, the humanitarian operations fulfilled their objective of assisting the province’s inhabitants.
As of Wednesday, July 2, the humanitarian bridge has carried out 504 missions, transported 726.54 tons of aid, and mobilized 5,366 people. The operational cost of the entire operation amounted to $2,426,073. On June 30, after more than two months of tension, unrest, and road closures, the communities that had blocked access to Bocas del Toro finally reached an agreement with the authorities and decided to reopen the access roads. The dialogue held on that date in the town of Chiriquí Grande between government representatives, community leaders, and local stakeholders concluded with an understanding among all parties.
As a result, the communities of Pueblo Nuevo, El Guabo, Cañazas, Malí, and Alto del Valle agreed to end their protests and allow vehicular traffic to resume. Residents themselves began clearing the road to facilitate vehicle passage, while local authorities actively participated in the negotiations that ended the conflict. Several incidents occurred during the weeks of protests. The most notable occurred on Thursday, June 19, when groups of protesters broke into the Changuinola “Capitán Manuel Niño” International Airport, breaching the perimeter fence and stealing vehicles from rental companies. The attackers also damaged Calvin Byron Stadium, looted a business, and robbed several local businesses, escalating the conflict beyond the initial peaceful protests.
