The protest was called by various workers‘ organisations and popular and social movements, led by the combative construction union, Suntracs, together with the National Council of Organised Workers (Conato), the Association of Employees of the Social Security Fund, the United People’s Alliance for Life, Frenadeso, Conusi, as well as teachers’ unions, environmentalists, feminists, the so-called ‘Warriors of the Sea’, made up of the communities located around the First Quantum mine, representatives of indigenous peoples, student organisations, and left-wing political parties, including Propuesta Socialista, the Panamanian section of the International Workers’ Unity-Fourth International.
The march started, as is customary in Panama, from the Porras Park and went to the Assembly of Deputies. It should be noted that the parliamentarians declared a recess at midday, so as not to be in the Assembly when the demonstrators arrived.
The focus of the protest was the defence of social security and the rejection of Law 163, which privatises the funds of the Social Security, a legal instrument currently under discussion in the Assembly of Deputies.
The government had already announced that if the bill sent to parliament by Mulino was not approved, the law would be vetoed.
In recent days there have been protests in repudiation of the interference of US imperialism, recently highlighted by Trump’s threats to take over the Panama Canal. These were ratified by the visit of the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
These protests were brutally repressed, resulting in numerous injuries and dozens of arrests. The day before the mobilisation, it was announced that 83 detainees had been released with precautionary measures and banned from leaving the place where they live or work.
The rejection of US imperialism was expressed in slogans such as ‘One territory, one flag’ and ‘This country is not for sale, this country is defended’.
The demonstrators protested against the submission of the Mulino government to pressure from Trump and Rubio. In this context, the presence in Panama, between February 19th and 20th of Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of the US Army Southern Command, was questioned.
There is also a rejection of the attitude of the Mulino government, which has accepted deportees from the United States, including two girls without families. Of these, about 100 have been transferred to the Darien jungles.
The national mobilisation against law 163, in defence of the right to protest and against imperialist interference, showed the great willingness of the Panamanian people to confront the anti-worker and anti-people policies that the Mulino government is preparing. In that sense, it is important to highlight the role that Suntracs has been playing, which has maintained a very firm position against the government, making it clear that they will not give in to their pressures, and that they will continue to promote mobilisation, even announcing a 24-hour warning strike, if the government insists on moving forward with Law 163.
Propuesta Socialista will continue to accompany the struggle of the Panamanian people for their main demands, against imperialism and in defence of the Social Security Fund.
