Monday
Monday 16th June 2025.
June 15, 2025
Access to the Changuinola district in Bocas del Toro is closed this Sunday, June 15. This time, it’s not banana industry workers who are erecting barricades to prevent access, but teachers.
Teachers from various communities are protesting against Law 462, which reformed the country’s social security system, and have taken over key district roads as a form of pressure.
The Torres Bridge, the main entrance to the province’s commercial area, was blocked early in the morning. Burning tires and a vigil by some protesters marked the beginning of another day of tension in this part of the country.
In the neighboring districts of Chiriquí Grande and Almirante , the outlook is also grim. Road closures continue. Last Saturday, June 14, clashes broke out between members of the security forces trying to open the roads and violent groups, including gang members.
The National Police, the National Border Service (Senafront), and other security forces activated Operation Omega to clear the roads.
They faced barricades, stones, fireworks, Molotov cocktails, and fierce resistance from the protesters.
Security forces used heavy equipment to remove trees and debris and, after hours of tension, managed to open several points. However, the violence continued.
According to the National Police, 15 people were arrested last Saturday, allegedly for disturbing public order.
Unofficially, it was learned that Operation Omega was put on hold this Sunday, Father’s Day, but at the time of writing this article, security authorities had not officially announced the matter.
An Almirante resident who requested anonymity described the situation to La Prensa . “This is worse than last week. They already passed the law for the union, and now they’re colluding with groups that are in anarchy. They lost the strike and are looking for ways to get revenge, to harm the province,” he said.
The Ombudsman’s Office, meanwhile, issued an urgent call for prevention due to the increasing violence, the risk of armed confrontations, and the disruption of public order, both in Bocas del Toro and in areas of the Ngäbe-Buglé region.
Among the incidents recently reported by the institution are physical assaults, threats, and the illegal detention of journalists from TVN , Telemetro , and SERTV , whose equipment was stolen by hooded individuals.
The organization described these acts as a direct threat to press freedom and the public’s right to be informed. It also denounced videos circulating on social media with calls to use machetes, threats against the President of the Republic, and expressions that promote the breakdown of democratic order.
The Ombudsman’s Office, headed by Eduardo Leblanc, warned of a possible escalation of violence with fatal consequences and multiple violations of fundamental rights, from the right to life to citizen security. It also warned that if law enforcement does not act in accordance with the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality, there is a risk of a disproportionate state response.
In its statement, it called on government and community leaders to mobilize immediately to stop the violence and restore dialogue. “Violence is not the way. Social peace and democracy are built on respect for life, dialogue, and the Constitution,” the organization stated.
For now, the situation in Bocas del Toro remains volatile. Every day can bring new outbreaks of violence, and the tension in the streets continues unabated. Classes remain suspended, businesses are paralyzed, and the hope of a return to normalcy is increasingly distant.
The Comptroller General of the Republic , Anel Flores , said in an interview with La Prensa that the Ministry of Education (Meduca) is “kidnapped” by the teachers’ unions, in the context of the indefinite strike that began on April 23 as a protest against Law 462, which modifies the retirement and pension system of the Social Security Fund (CSS).
According to Flores, the Comptroller’s Office has directly taken over audits at educational centers due to the lack of cooperation from school principals, who have also joined the strike.
“Principals are responsible for reporting attendance, but many are on strike and not fulfilling their duties. We can’t rely on manipulated records,” he said.
The comptroller reiterated that the misuse of public funds to pay salaries to those who have not worked will not be permitted and warned that further measures will be taken.
“This isn’t just a labor dispute. It’s a structural crisis that is directly affecting the right to education of thousands of students,” he said.
In his recent weekly press conference, President José Raúl Mulino did not hide his frustration with the state of public education in Panama.
In forceful words, the president described the current situation as “a disgrace” and highlighted the huge gap between the quality of education in public schools and the progress of students attending private schools.
“Public education in this country is a disgrace. I’m not shying away from saying it,” said Mulino , who did not hesitate to highlight the disparities between the two educational systems.
According to the president, while private school students are progressing, those in public schools are held back by the system’s shortcomings.
Humberto Montero , leader of the National Front of Independent Educators , strongly expressed his disagreement with the recent statements made by the President of Panama regarding the education system, calling the state of public education “shameful.”
According to Montero, this situation is the result of a series of mismanagement by previous governments and the current Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, who have failed to properly manage the resources allocated to improve the education system.
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) called for a national agenda centered on employment, following the economic and labor-related effects of the pandemic, the protests that closed roads in 2022 and 2023, and the most recent protests in 2025.
Among the issues this agenda should address are generating concrete actions such as investment in infrastructure, economic diversification, promoting entrepreneurship, and especially technical education and job training tailored to present and future needs.
The union reports that by November 2023 alone, more than 54,000 non-agricultural jobs had been lost in the country.
“Jobs can no longer wait,” warned the CCIAP. “The creation of quality jobs is the path to a more just and productive Panama. That’s why we don’t just talk: we act.”
Furthermore, they highlight that as of October 2024, Panama had 24,000 fewer private sector employees than in 2012, while the number of public employees increased by 63,000 and the number of informal workers grew by 264,000, according to figures from the Comptroller General of the Republic.
For labor specialist René Quevedo, “for every private worker lost, three civil servants and 10 informal workers have been added.”
“This isn’t sustainable. It’s not fair. And, above all, it doesn’t move the country forward,” they clarify in the statement.
With the goal of connecting companies with available vacancies with job seekers, the association will hold the CCIAP 2025 Job Fair , which will take place on June 24 and 25 at its headquarters.
The sale of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison ‘s port assets , which cover 43 ports worldwide, including two in Panama: Balboa and Cristóbal, appears to be taking another turn that could accelerate the process.
Negotiations that appear to have stalled could be reactivated, with Chinese players being incorporated into the negotiations being conducted by BlackRock alongside other companies and investors.
According to reports carried by Bloomberg News and also published by news agencies such as Reuters , Chinese shipping giant Cosco Shipping Corporation is in talks to join an international consortium seeking to acquire a portfolio of 43 ports currently held by CK Hutchison , a conglomerate owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing .
So far, the purchasing group is led by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) , run by the family of Italian businessman Gianluigi Aponte , and is in exclusive negotiations with CK Hutchison for a period of 145 days, until July 27. The estimated value of the agreement is estimated at $22.8 billion .
The portfolio includes port terminals in 23 countries , including two key ports located near the Panama Canal , which increases the strategic relevance of the operation.
The possibility of incorporating China Cosco Shipping Corp. arose after high-level meetings in Switzerland between Chinese and U.S. authorities, amid growing international scrutiny over the sale of port assets to foreign entities. The deal has also drawn criticism in both Washington and Beijing.
Panama is seeking membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a bloc comprising 38 nations, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Panama’s Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez-Acha , formalized the application for membership during a meeting in France with Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
“This milestone reflects our firm commitment to global cooperation and recognizes Panama’s progress in transparency, good governance, and sustainability,” said the foreign minister.
He emphasized that the goal is to strengthen the relationship with the OECD to pave the way for better public policies, greater attraction of foreign investment, and more opportunities for the country’s comprehensive development.
Following the European Commission’s recommendation to remove Panama from the European Union’s high-risk money laundering list, a decision that must be endorsed by the European Council and subsequently the European Parliament, the chancellor has held several meetings with representatives from that bloc to achieve a consensus in favor of the country.
One of the meetings was with the French Foreign Minister and counterpart of France, HE Jean-Noël.
“France recognized Panama’s progress and supported our modernization and sustainability agenda. We agreed to expand bilateral cooperation, and I extended a cordial invitation to Foreign Minister Barrot to visit Panama in November, following COP 30,” Martínez-Acha said via the social media platform X.