Panama announces the emergency in the West Province after the deadly pension protests News protest

The clashes with the police have left at least dead, and about 30 years in a banana -producing province.

Panama has announced the state of emergency in the West Bokas del Toro province, where the demonstrators accuse the counter -opposing the pension reform law of setting fire to the Bessoul and looting stadium, including a regional airport.

Police said on Friday that the protests that erupted two months ago in Boukas del Toro, a producing area for the main bananas, intensified this week, and reached their peak in clashes with the police who left one person and about 30 people were wounded, including many officers.

Presidential Minister Juan Carlos Aurelac said in a press conference on Friday that moving to the suspension of some constitutional rights and the ban on public gatherings will allow the government to re -establish the regime and “save” the boycott from “radical groups”, adding that the damage caused by public property was “unacceptable and does not represent a legitimate protest.”

He said: “In the face of disrupting the system and systematic violence, the state will impose its constitutional mandate to ensure peace.”

He said that the procedure will be in place for five days.

The demonstrators, with the support of unions and indigenous groups throughout the country, faced the authorities that were approved in March.

The confrontations were particularly intense in Pocas del Toro, led by workers to a large extent on the local banana complaint. The multinational banana giant Czetita described the beating workers “unjustified abandonment” and Thousands dismiss From employees.

These workers eventually withdrew from the protests after they were able to negotiate the restoration of some of the benefits that were removed under the reform of pensions in March.

However, the government said that the road barriers in Boukas del Toro have not yet been raised, although it did not attribute it directly to the Czechita workers.

The authorities said that the violence reached its climax in the city of Changuenola, the main city of Boukas del Toro, on Thursday when groups of individuals covered with commercial work were looted and was partially damaged at Bastoul Stadium with police officers at home.

The police said, “The saboteurs took over” the local airport, the vehicles that belong to the car rental companies, and the looting of an office and a warehouse containing supplies belonging to Cikita. Flights at the airport are still hanging on Friday.

The right -wing Panama President Jose Raul Moulino has protests on several fronts in recent months.

In addition to pension reforms, Baniian was also in the streets due to a deal concluded by Molino with US President Donald Trump in April, allowing American forces to deploy in the bases of Beniian along Panama channel.

Mulino presented the concession to Trump after the American leader has repeatedly threatened to “restore” the waterway that was built in the United States.

Mulino also angered the advocates of environmental protection by threatening to reopen the Panama Bridge, one of the largest copper mines in Central America.