Protests against events in Colon spread

Business associations, unions, indigenous groups and environmentalists in the province of Chiriqui together in protest of the “repression” occuring in the province of Colon.

For this Monday, October 22, at 4:00 pm Indigenous and environmental groups joined a protest march in the city of David while Jaime Caballero, leader of the Union of Construction and AlliedWorkers (SUNTRACS), said they began a series of pickets in the Chiriqui province as a form of resistance to repeal Law No. 72 .
SUNTRACS members made in the town of El Vigui closed at one of the lanes of the American way.
Manuel Reyes Sicily, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Chiriquí, meanwhile, said he regretted the situations that occur in Columbus, by a law passed in haste and now keeps annoying the whole society.
Camilo Brenes, president of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives of Chiriqui, said they joined the call for dialogue and avoidance of confrontation.
Indigenous groups including the Coalition for the Defense of Natural Resources and People's Rights and Ngäbe-Buglé peasants issued a statement of support to the Colon people and reject barbarism committed by the government of President Ricardo Martinelli.
The statement is signed by the coordinator and Rogelio Montezuma Ausencio Palacios, who said they do not rule out initiating a series of protests and road closures in the starting Tuesday.
In Panama, university students closed four lanes of the Transistmica highway. to protest the law allowing the sale of state lands in The Free Trade Zone.