‘No Repression Can Stop us,’ say Panamanian Workers

After more than 20 days of road blockades, industrial strikes, mass mobilizations, and rallies against the neoliberal government of José Raúl Mulino, Panamanian labor unions, student associations, and Indigenous groups continue to fight against the economic measures of the government.

They are demanding:

1. The annulment of a social security law that increases working hours and reduces the pensions received by the elderly.
2. The termination of the security agreements signed with the US military, which protestors say expand its influence and surrender Panamanian territory for US military bases, a concession made in response to threats from the Trump administration to retake control of the Panama Canal.
3. The permanent closure of the country’s largest copper mine, which the government seeks to reopen after it was shut down after massive mobilizations a couple of years ago.

Despite the government’s forecasts (and hopes), the strike seems to have grown more intense as the days have gone by. Groups of unionized workers, students, Indigenous people, agricultural workers, teachers, etc., have called for massive mobilizations in the last few days against the Mulino government, which has reported that at least 480 roads have been closed by the demonstrators.

The resistance of the striking workers has drawn many sympathizers into the streets to join the protests against the government. Road closures have become one way the demonstrators have found to pressure the government and the economic groups that sponsor it (especially the banana industry, the country’s main export product), thus hindering trade and the free transit of goods.

Comunidades de Río Indio realizaron marcha acuática en defensa del agua y el territoriohttps://t.co/Fi6jnFhm9c#DefensadelTerritorio #Protesta #PanamáHuelga2025 #RíoIndio #MarchaAcuática #NoAlEmbalseDelRíoIndio #NoALaReaperturaDeLaMina #FueraMilitaresGringos #NoALaLey462 pic.twitter.com/843E7i7s8S

— Radio Temblor Internacional (@RadioTemblor) May 20, 2025

In the border province with Costa Rica, called Bocas de Toro, the closures have been almost permanent, which has surprised those who doubted the resolve of the workers and Indigenous protesters.

Government represses and stigmatizes; workers affirm the strike will continue

The response from the Panamanian political and economic elite has been an absolute rejection of the strike as a method of protest. President Mulino posted on X: “In the last few days, I have met with members of the productive sector. We agree on something essential: Panama only advances when its people can work. That is the path on which we will continue to take steps, so that the country and its people advance!”

However, the workers’ unions clarified that they tried to dialogue with the government to prevent the social security law from being passed, insisting that it opens the door to the privatization of the system and makes it more difficult to obtain a decent retirement. Yet, despite their efforts, the government imposed the law without consulting with Panamanian civil society, so the only path that was left, they say, was to strike.

Given this reality, one of the unions organizing the strike, SUNTRACS (Single National Union of Workers of the Construction and Similar Industries), affirmed that it will continue to fight despite the government repression, which now includes suing the workers:

“More than 50 years of struggle. We have faced dictatorships, repression, persecution, and now lawfare against leaders. Today, we are being sued and lynched by the media because we are still on the right side: we are in the streets together with teachers, parents, students, Indigenous people, youth, Afro-descendants, and workers from all over the country. With our dignity high, no repression can stop us.”

Lawfare and arrests: repression increases

The National Police reported that they have arrested more than 200 people since the strike began. In fact, Mulino announced that he will open the highways of the country “at any cost”, which has been interpreted as a threat amid the already violent repression denounced by the demonstrators.

Former vice presidential candidate Richard Morales wrote: “Repressing children, shooting protesters in the face, and torturing teachers will not remedy anything. Mulino’s government is criminal by tradition. As Secretary, they repressed people until they murdered young Jerónimo Tugri. What he forgets is that they didn’t fear him, then or now.”

For their part, the leaders of the Ngäbe-Buglé Indigenous community told the press: “The heavily armed security forces have not only brutally attacked communities and leaders in Trinidad, El Piro, Ojo de Agua, Tolé, Viguí, El Prado and other areas of the region, but have also gone house to house, intimidating the population with high caliber weapons, throwing tear gas bombs, arresting leaders without measuring the consequences and affecting the population.”

Likewise, SUNTRACS denounced that several prosecutors and judges are filing a huge number of lawsuits against not only the leaders of the workers, but also against the lawyers who defend them. On May 17, the union reported that the house of one of the members of the legal team defending them was raided by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, lawyer for SUNTRACS, wrote: “This morning, more than 20 units of the National Police, by order of the Primary Attention section, and by authorization of the judge of guarantees Oscar Jones, raided my residence. This is the x-ray of how the Public Prosecutor’s Office is doing. Crazy people using the repressive apparatus for intestinal hatreds.”

In addition to this complaint, SUNTRACS General Secretary Saúl Méndez, has complained about the prosecution and arrest of Jaime Caballero, an important union leader who is accused of money laundering. Because of the type of accusation, SUNTRACS is demanding his immediate release but also affirming that there is a systematic attempt to stain the name of the union and its political leaders in the media. Most media outlets have demonstrated alignment with the government in its campaign against the protesters.

PRESO POLITIcO/ cuando los gobernantes se quedan sin argumentos se embrutecen y usan todo el aparato del Estado para matar, enjuiciar, desaparecer etc. Critican otros sistemas y el que vive Panamá es peor. @cafecnn @ @teleSURtv @CNNEE pic.twitter.com/clpcAt0La6

— ASOPROF (@ASOPROF30) May 18, 2025

In this context, the International Labor Organization requested information from Mulino’s government on the repression of the demonstrators, according to the Secretary General of the National Confederation of Independent Union Unity (CONUSI), Marcos Andrade.

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch