Protesting producers block bridges

While a delegation headed to Panama City to confront the cabinet council, Los Santos cattlemen blocked bridges over the La Villa River bridges from 6 am for five and a half hours on Wednesday, August 8.

Edwin Valdés, spokesman of the  Rescate Livestock Movement said that they decided to lift the blockade because: “We are confident that the Executive will give us a positive response to our claims; if not we will resume protest actions,” he said. Valdés did not rule out calling a national strike.

Farmers have been demanding, among other things, that the agricultural sector be declared in a national emergency, and for the elimination of the Panamanian Food Safety Authority.

Meanwhile, Dairy farmers in Chiriqui demonstrated for an hour on the bridge over the Risacua River at the entrance to David

“Foreign products are being introduced and the national farmer is losing the internal market, “said Víctor Watts,  Chiriqui palm grower, and former president of the region’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture.

Daniel Peterson, of the  Panama Association of   Milk and Livestock Producers  voiced similar concerns.