Panamas retirees ready to close streets and confront police
Panama’s frustrated retirees want to rain on President Ricardo Martinelli’s first invitation to the White House.
After over 20 months of an unfulfilled presidential election promise, that has seen ministers and leading political appointees making contradictory statements, and a no-results face to face meeting with Martinelli, the jubilados have decided that enough is enough.
If there is no fast movement on their call for an increase in their pensions, which, with a five percent inflation rate, are actually shrinking, they are promising to close the streets of Panama and take on the poice.
Standing in front of the Presidential office, Independent Retirees Panama, leader, octogenarian Eladio Fernandez , said that grey power will close the streets before Martinelli’s U.S. trip to meet with President Barack Obama to push for ratification of the U.S. Panama Free Trade Agreement.
"If necessary we will stand up against the crowd control units of the National Police so that Martinelli will be shamed when asked whether Panama will respect human rights,” said Fernandez RPC Radio.
He added that the President has to keep his promise to increase pensions to help fight the high cost of living.
He added that it wasMartinelli who promised the increase, not the Social Security Fund. where the buck now sits.
