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Panama City (AFP) – The Government and representatives of unions and citizen organizations begin this Thursday a “single table” of dialogue to put an end to the demonstrations and roadblocks in Panama, with “concrete proposals” to face the high cost of living and corruption.
The Government “has been summoned to begin the concrete discussion of the answers that we are demanding” to solve “the needs that the Panamanian people have,” said Saúl Méndez, general secretary of the construction union ‘Suntracs’, one of the promoters of the protests.
“We hope that the government comes with concrete answers to the basic needs of the population,” he added.
The Catholic Church, which acts as a mediator, reported on Wednesday that the Panamanian Executive had confirmed its presence for this Thursday at the negotiating table that will take place in Penonomé, 150 kilometers southwest of Panama City.
The organizations ask for a reduction and freezing of the prices of the basic basket, fuel, energy, medicines, the investment of 6% of the GDP in public education and addressing the future of the state health system.
They also demand to take measures against corruption, amid strong citizen criticism for the salaries of high-ranking officials and the waste of public resources.
Catering
For more than two weeks, Panama has been the scene of multiple demonstrations and roadblocks throughout its territory. This Thursday there were still short cuts on some roads in the capital.
The closure of highways due to the protests occurs mainly on the Pan-American highway, which connects Panama with Costa Rica and is the main route of trade and transportation of goods in the country, which has caused shortages.
A roadblock on Wednesday prevented a caravan of more than 200 trucks from reaching the Panamanian capital with hundreds of tons of fresh food from the province of Chiriquí, in the far west of the country and considered the breadbasket of Panama.
The unions claimed responsibility for this blockade and accused “rogues” and “criminals” for intercepting the caravan “with weapons in hand.”
The demonstrators pointed to two citizens with ties to political parties as the promoters of this activity. The authorities ordered his arrest.
The Police said that this Thursday they will guarantee the arrival of the trucks with food.
The Social Security Fund warned that the blockades are also affecting the supply of medicines and medical supplies.
unique table
The demonstrators demand the Government of Laurentino Cortizo to take measures against the increase in inflation and corruption, in the greatest social crisis since the US invasion of 1989.
Business associations calculate that the losses due to roadblocks have been around 500 million dollars in 10 days.
The call for dialogue brings together the National Alliance of the Organized People (Anadepo), which brings together the majority of organizations calling for the protests, the Alianza Pueblo Unidos por la Vida, of left-wing unions, and representatives of indigenous communities.
Previous agreements between the Cortizo Executive and some of these organizations were ignored by the protesters a few hours after they were signed, considering them insufficient and exclusive.
To calm things down, President Cortizo initially lowered the price of a gallon of gasoline (3.78 liters) from $5.20 to $3.95, but the measure was rejected.
Then a reduction to 3.25 dollars was offered, which is currently in force, but the representatives of the protesters will now join the dialogue to demand more measures from the Government to lower the cost of living.
Despite its dollarized economy, high figures of economic growth and income of more than 2,000 million dollars a year from the Canal, Panama has one of the highest rates of inequality in the world, with poor public health services, education and access to drinking water in some areas.
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