Day of frustration as Panama highway closures continue

Panama’s main roads were blocked on Monday, November 20, as announced by the groups that make up the “Alianza Pueblo Unidos por la Vida”, a movement that demands on the streets the repeal of Law 406 that renewed the contract between Minera Panamá and the state.

At around 7:00 am a group of workers from the Construction and Similar Workers Union (Suntracs) closed the Centenario highway, in front of Merca Panamá. At around 9:00 am the group left and traffic through the site was regularized.

Via España, in front of the Iglesia del Carmen, was also closed by the teaching unions and The Transisthmian highway remains blocked in front of the University of Panama.

Traffic in a section of the South corridor was interrupted. The National Highway Company (ENA) reported at 8:13 am that access to the corridor, via Vía Israel, towards Tocumen, was closed.

Another group of workers with flags occupied the four lanes of Balboa Avenue.

In the La Pesa sector, in La Chorrera, province of Panama Oeste, the road was closed by educators and workers waving flags. In the Arraiján capital, they also took to the streets, and traffic was halted.

The Howard area was also closed, which affected traffic on the Las Américas bridge.

In Santiago, province of Veraguas, the Inter-American highway remains blocked under the vehicular bridge. Over 10 points of the Inter-American Highway remain blocked in the province of Chiriquí.