A Decisive Day in the Future for Saúl Méndez’s Asylum at the Bolivian Embassy

This Saturday morning, July 19, it was announced that this will be a crucial day for the asylum of the Secretary General of the Single Union of Construction and Related Workers, Saúl Méndez, at the Bolivian Embassy in Panama.  Méndez has been at the diplomatic mission since April 22nd, under temporary protection of the Bolivian authorities, awaiting asylum, which must be granted by the National Refugee Council.  The union leader’s daughter appeared at the embassy this Saturday morning, but did not make any statements to the media.  Additionally, residents in the Cangrejo area reported to local media that there has been an increase in police activity at the Bolivian Embassy in Panama.

This information comes two days after the Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Jackeline Muñoz, requested the dissolution of Suntracs.  The Minister of Labor and Workforce Development revealed on the afternoon of July 17 that Suntracs had “deviated” from its original purpose of defending workers’ rights.  Muñoz explained to reporters at a press conference that the request for dissolution is based on a “legal” and “technical” analysis based on the Labor Code and seeks to “protect the interests” of the workers.  “Under the guise of a union organization, repeated acts of extortion, violence, fraud, abuse of power, and misuse of resources have been committed,” Muñoz said.

Mitradel Files Suit for the Dissolution of Suntracs

The Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Jackeline Muñoz pictured above, announced on the afternoon of Thursday, July 17, that she has filed a lawsuit seeking the dissolution of the National Union of Construction and Related Workers (Suntracs).  “This decision is the result of a rigorous legal and technical analysis, based on current labor legislation and in defense of the general interest of the country’s workers,” she said.