Panama in Turmoil: Nationwide Protests Erupt Against President Mulino’s Policies
Crowds of Panamanian protesters filling city streets, holding signs against social security changes and environmental projects, with police presence visible. Apr 2nd, 2025
April 2, 2025 Hour: 7:11 pm
Panama faces massive protests over pension reforms, a Canadian mine reopening, and a disputed dam project as unions declare a 48-hour nationwide strike.
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This Tuesday, Panama is at the center of intense national mobilization, driven by widespread discontent with President José Raúl Mulino’s administration, according to a recent Vea Panamá poll. The protest, taking place in an environment of growing social tension, was called by various unions that have initiated a 48-hour strike in opposition to controversial Law 462, related to the Social Security Fund (CSS).
The mobilization not only focuses on the mentioned law but also rejects the reopening of a Canadian-owned mine, whose operations were suspended by courts in 2023, as well as the construction of a reservoir in the Indio River area.
This last initiative has generated strong opposition among local residents, who argue the project involves forced displacement of communities without proper consent from indigenous groups and farmers in the region, which includes the provinces of Coclé, West Panama and Colón.
Fernando Ábrego, representative of the Teachers’ Action Front, emphasized during a press conference that the April 3-4 mobilizations will focus on denouncing the misappropriation of public funds and their transfer to private banks, as well as medicine shortages and poor quality healthcare.
Ábrego called on teachers’ families to keep their children home from school and actively participate in protests and informational workshops about the negative effects the law could have on current and future generations.
Union leaders have indicated that Law 462 carries significant risks for the working class, including inadequate pensions, an increased retirement age, and the establishment of individual accounts that contradict the current solidarity-based model.
In response to this situation, the National Union of Construction Workers (Suntracs) has expressed support for the teachers’ strike, while the popular movement has filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court challenging partial constitutionality of the law.
For their part, Panamanian authorities have threatened sanctions against teachers who don’t fulfill work obligations during protest days, warning they might not receive their salaries. This scenario reflects growing polarization in the country and an increasingly active citizenry defending their rights, in a context where dissatisfaction with the government is palpable. Today’s mobilization clearly indicates social discontent and serves as a call to action for sectors demanding significant changes in public policies.
Autor: MLM
Fuente: telesur- suntrans
