Unions ready to take the fight against mining contract  to the streets

The National Council of the Single Union of Construction and Similar Workers (Suntracs) met Sunday to agree on the actions to follow the endorsement by the Assembly and the Cortizo sanctioning by  Cortizo and the contract law between the State and Minera Panamá.

“We want to tell the country that we are ready for the fight in the street. We are calling on the Panamanian people in each of the provinces of this country, in each of the regions, to take to the streets tomorrow [Monday],” said Saúl Méndez, leader of Suntracs.

“We do not accept the sale of the homeland, we do not accept the contract to sell the mining homeland,” Méndez added. “In the street, we are going to defeat the contract,” he stressed.

On Friday, with 47 votes in favor, 6 against, and 2 abstentions, the plenary session of the National Assembly approved – in the third and final debate – the mining contract between the Panamanian State and Minera Panamá. Soon after, President Cortizo sanctioned Law No. 406 which endorses the law contract which was published in the Official Gazette.