Friday
Friday 30th May 2025.
May 29, 2025
Bocas del Toro has been semi-paralyzed for over a month by protests against Law 462, amid reports of cash payments to maintain the blockades and fuel a mobilization that has put life in the province at risk.
But chaos and shortages aren’t the only thing dominating the scene in the province bordering Costa Rica. A question is running through political circles and among citizens: how can a protest of this magnitude be financially sustained for so long?
Bocas del Toro journalist Senén Briceño , who lives in Changuinola, the province’s commercial hub, didn’t hesitate to answer: there’s money circulating. In an interview with Telemetro Reporta, Briceño stated that at each roadblock, the leaders who keep them active are being paid in cash. ” At each roadblock, leaders are paid with cash in hand and $100 bills,” he stated.
Briceño, who also ran as a free candidate for deputy in the last election, noted that behind the figure of union leader Francisco Smith there are clear political connections and a financing strategy that has been repeated in previous strikes.
“Francisco Smith has very good relations with political parties. Every time he’s called a strike, he has political funding, and every strike always involves money,” he pointed out.
Francisco Smith is the general secretary of the Banana Industry Workers Union (Sitraibana) and, as such, the government’s main counterpart in this conflict.
The journalist describes an organized structure at the protest sites: “Cattle and pigs have been killed here. There are tents and kitchens at each location, but we’re talking about well-equipped kitchens, well-stocked, and with enough food. And, on top of that, there’s money circulating.”
Briceño also denounced the collection of bribes by some protesters to allow vehicles to pass through the blockades. “They’ve taken to asking for money to get a certain truck driver to pass, let’s say it’s a bribe to get a certain truck driver to pass at a certain time, or a certain vehicle, or a certain person.”
These statements gain relevance amid the worsening social and economic crisis in Bocas del Toro. Although the conflict began as a protest against a law that, according to the banana union, violates the rights acquired by workers in the sector, today the streets are dominated by barricades, fires, and a near-total paralysis of the province.
This Thursday, May 29, a truce was declared. The National Police reported that protesters voluntarily reopened the roads in the Changuinola district during two shifts : from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. and then from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.
In Almirante: from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., while in Chiriquí Grande from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The journalist also emphasizes that legally, it can no longer be called a strike, as it was declared illegal by a labor court on May 16. “I can’t call it a strike because that legal concept no longer exists. We can call it a de facto strike,” Briceño explained.
Last Tuesday, the government of José Raúl Mulino declared a state of emergency in Bocas del Toro, a measure that enables the use of millions of dollars in resources to assist a province where 40% of the population lives in poverty. A high-level commission of seven ministers was formed. Some of them will travel to the area this Friday, while, as the president himself announced, they will all meet on the ground on Monday.
The National Assembly’s Budget Committee approved two transfers of funds this Thursday, May 29: one to the Ministry of the Presidency and another to the Panama Tourism Authority.
In this regard, the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, appeared to support a transfer of $11.1 million, earmarked for the development of the ambitious Panama-David railway project.
“This is a flagship project of President José Raúl Mulino’s new government,” the official stated at the beginning of his speech, highlighting the priority the project represents for the incoming administration.
The minister explained that the funds will be used to initiate a series of key technical studies and administrative processes. Among them, he mentioned the bidding process for the project manager, the environmental impact study—estimated as Category 3—as well as the pre-feasibility engineering studies and the hiring of specialized personnel. These steps, according to Orillas, are necessary to ensure the proper design and execution of a large-scale project of national scope.
The train project, which would extend from the province of Panama to David, in the province of Chiriquí, is part of a regional economic development strategy that seeks to improve transportation infrastructure, reduce logistics costs, and facilitate the movement of people and goods. “The idea is to strengthen national and international connectivity with a modern rail network,” Orillac said.
According to the minister, the initiative also has a Central American regional integration component, as it plans to extend to the border with Costa Rica. “We are going to promote trade, tourism, and access to international markets,” he stated. To this end, he announced that the project will include stations in all the provinces through which the train will pass.
“Once these studies are completed, we will be able to establish tentative dates for the bidding process and the start of construction,” the minister added, noting that the goal is to begin construction in early 2026. Planning, however, will depend on the availability of resources and the time taken for the ongoing technical analyses.
The National Aeronaval Service (Senan) has carried out 53 operations at different strategic locations throughout the country during the first months of 2025, seizing 26,065 packages containing illicit substances and arresting 64 people.
According to a report from Senan, 32 of those arrested are Panamanian, 26 are Colombian, and 5 are Nicaraguan. The arrests were made at sea, land, air, river, and airport locations as part of coordinated actions to combat criminal activity.
In addition to the illicit substances, 18 vehicles used in illegal activities were seized during the operations. These included five speedboats, 12 small-scale boats, and one fishing vessel. Six firearms and 193 rounds of ammunition of various calibers were also seized.
SENAN authorities emphasize that the most recent blow against drug trafficking occurred in less than 24 hours, with the seizure of 1,575 packages of suspected drugs in two consecutive operations. The first occurred in a port area in West Panama, where 1,401 packages of drugs were seized. In the second, south of Punta Coco, in the Pearl Islands, a double-bottomed vessel used for drug transport was intercepted. Two people were arrested in this operation, and after the vessel was transferred to the Noel A. Rodríguez Naval Base, 174 packages were found during a search and seizure.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues its initiative to encourage more countries to join the Treaty on the Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal .
The organization reported that this Wednesday, Foreign Minister Javier Martínez Acha officially requested Shashi Tharoor , chairman of India’s Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, to consider joining the international agreement.
The Foreign Ministry reported that the Panamanian request was presented during a visit by an Indian parliamentary delegation to Panama, part of a tour that also included visits to Colombia, Guyana, and the United States.
At the meeting, Martínez Acha explained to the delegation from the Asian country the entire process of negotiations with the United States regarding the Torrijos-Carter Treaty of 1977 , as well as the reversal, which allowed Panama to recover its sovereignty and the administration of the Panama Canal.
“For us, this is a very important point, and we are working to ensure that more countries join the neutrality pact, so we look forward to working with you to achieve this goal,” said the Panamanian foreign minister.
Meanwhile, Tharoor said the Indian government has been considering this issue for some time, after Panamanian ambassador to the country, Alonso Correa Miguel, presented the initiative.
“We know the importance of this issue for Panama, and it is a very important point that we are studying. We are committed to you, Minister, in this regard,” Tharoor emphasized, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
Panama is pursuing this international strategy amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign against alleged Chinese influence in the Panama Canal.
The meeting took place at the Bolivar Palace, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Tharoor took the opportunity to thank Panama for its support and solidarity following the recent terrorist attack in the town of Kashmir .
The recent suspension of new student visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world has raised concerns among Panamanian students preparing to begin their studies in that country.
According to Mariana León , academic vice-rector of Quality Leadership University (QLU), although the measure creates uncertainty, there is still room to complete the process if the decision is made with foresight.
León explained that the process for applying for an F-1 visa begins with the student’s admission, demonstration of financial solvency, and the issuance of Form I-20, the document that formally allows for the visa application.
Once the I-20 is obtained, the applicant must pay the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee and schedule an appointment at the U.S. Consulate.
Under normal circumstances, this process can take between 5 and 10 weeks, not including the wait time for the physical visa, which typically ranges from 5 to 15 days. However, with the recent suspension, delays are anticipated due to a more thorough review of applicants’ social media accounts.
Despite this situation, León recommends that students continue with their university paperwork and obtain their I-20, so they can be ready to apply for their visa when the suspension is lifted.
The academic emphasized that this is not the first time social media behavior has been analyzed as part of the visa evaluation process. Since 2019, applicants have been required to submit their social media accounts, and increased scrutiny is now expected.
Regarding the impact of the measure, León emphasized that many U.S. universities rely on international students for their financial sustainability, so if the process extends beyond the formal start of the fall semester (between August and September), these institutions are likely to implement support mechanisms.
Among them, allowing students to start classes virtually while they process their visas.
Posts that reveal permanent immigration intentions, contradict the documentation submitted, or identify with groups considered at risk by U.S. authorities could negatively impact applications.
Despite the global decline in demand for studying in the United States—with a 36.7% drop since the beginning of 2025, according to León—Panama may not be as affected due to its historical, geographic, and academic ties with that country.
During fiscal year 2023, the United States issued 799 F-1 visas to Panamanian students.
León also acknowledged that countries like the United Kingdom are already experiencing an increase in applications from international students, which could benefit them if delays in the U.S. system persist.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that his government will begin “aggressively revoking” visas for Chinese students, “including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in key fields.”