Francisco Smith of Bocas del Toro Panama is Released but Must Sign In Every Month
The general secretary of the Banana, Agricultural, and Related Business Workers’ Union (Sintraibana), Francisco Smith, was released following a change in the precautionary measure issued by an appeals court. From now on, he will be required to appear and sign in once a month as part of the new court ruling. The decision was made this Wednesday during an appeal hearing held at the Changuinola Accusatory Criminal Court headquarters, which lasted more than two hours. Smith’s defense team sought to modify the provisional detention imposed by a judge. Smith is charged with alleged crimes of sympathizing with crime, crimes against public administration, criminal conspiracy, and disrupting public transportation, in the context of protests against Law 462 of the Social Security Fund (CSS).
Several Suntracs leaders are facing legal proceedings. Genaro López and Jaime Caballero are detained, while Saúl Méndez and Erasmo Cerrud are under protection in foreign embassies, awaiting asylum. The leaders of the Single Union of Construction and Related Workers (Suntracs)—Saúl Méndez, Erasmo Cerrud, Genaro López, and Jaime Caballero—are facing various legal proceedings that have yet to be resolved. The charges include aggravated fraud, money laundering, document forgery, criminal conspiracy, and malfeasance, in an investigation that also implicates other union leaders.
