By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Apparently someone is trying to shut down two of the water taxi operations in order to take them over. Apparently, it's political, because the owner of the Taxi25 is a PRD guy. Anyway, those people who have been affected by the government shutdown have sent their guys to blockade the ferry service, in order to bring pressure on the government to lift the sanctions that have been placed to shut down the water taxi service. I've received the following via email:

• "Don, This is second hand so treat it accordingly. Apparently the water taxi drivers from the companies which the government has shut down for safety reasons are protesting this by blocking the Almirante-Bocas del Toro ferry from unloading. Apparently they have allowed a truck of diesel fuel to unload to drive the generators but that is all. I feel that this is pretty good information as I have heard the same thing from several different sources. I have also been told that they have shut down the airport ... this is one source only. Martinelli must feel he is running a kindergarten. Regards, Dick"

• "Don ... It's true. The ferry is not being allowed to dock and it's been like that for a number of days. (I just got back from the states on Friday, so I don't know how long.) But nothing is getting in. Very soon there will be no diesel, so no power, water, etc. The land taxi's closed off the roads yesterday, but today seems okay. I'm concerned food won't be getting in except by plane and what the smaller boats can bring from the mainland, but perishables won't keep without refrigeration. Yesterday there was talk about the taxi drivers (land) blocking the runway, but the airport is still okay. My daughter is visiting and has to leave in the morning and we're keeping our fingers crossed that there will be flights out of here. Also, when the ferry is again allowed to dock, there will be quite a bottleneck, so who knows when things will be back to normal. I heard that the ferry raised it's passenger fees as soon as the water taxi companies were shut down and the people who come here to work from Almirante and other places on the mainland could not afford (or would not pay) the increase. I've about had it here. My house is up for sale. Susan"

• "There is definitely something going on in Bocas. Yesterday the ferry was prevented from docking by children protesting. Something is up !! Tony"

And Then The Cops Showed Up: At some point there will be riot police on the ground where the ferry docks, to make sure it is allowed to land. I understand there's "someone else" who simply wants to take over the water taxi service in Bocas to make that money, so they are simply using the law and lawyers to shut down the existing operators. In short, business as usual in Panama. I don't suspect this whole situation will last long. The residents of the area are being held hostage, both literally and figuratively, by the warring factions. And I wonder when the residents will figure out the fact that they outnumber both sides by a factor of 25-1? No, the taxis will run and the ferry will dock because WE THE RESIDENTS said so. And all of this, as if Bocas needed yet another black eye right now. Hey, they say bad things come in threes. So maybe the banana riots in Changuinola, Wild Bill, and now this makes three... I hope so.

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Received this morning via email: "I am a pensionado that has lived in Bocas for five yesrs. Do you have any information about the protest in Bocas town that has virtually isolated the island. Food and fuel supplies can not come in. The islands electric genertor is virtually out of fuel, which means we may soon be shut down. I feel that the gov't need to step in before violence breaks out. Please take the time to look into this. Thanks. Richard (snip)." Err, protest? I know about the government action to shut down Taxi25 and the other water taxi service. However, the ferry is still running (right?) and that's how food and fuel gets in. So therefore, I have to ask, what the hell are you talking about? Is there something else going on that I'm missing completely? Hey Bocas dudes and dudettes - please comment on this article and clear things up - because I'm confused...

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.    

Yesterday, 19 August 2010, there was a "counter march" held on Calle 50, which placed supporters of Ricardo Martinelli's Cambio Democratico political party against another protest march organized by radical union leaders and student groups. Guillermo Puga, the Secretary General of the Confederation of Workers of the Republic of Panama (CTRP), said this morning that this kind of fighting tarnishes peaceful activities. He said "everyone has the right to protest, but how is it possible that they organized another protest march, in the same place and time that we were protesting," Puga said on TVN News, who said their protest had been previously announced.

They organized their rally to request, before the Ombudsman, medical care for those who were wounded in the past riots in Bocas del Toro against Law 30. In addition, Puga said, they wanted to remind the government that they should repeal Law 30, also known as the "law chorizo" or "9 in 1".

However, they protest was met by another group of supporters from the Cambio Democratico political party who showed up at the same place, to ask for an investigation into those responsible for the "false allegations" against the government of the disappearance of Valentin Palacio.

'In the style of Venezuela' - For its part, Mariano Mena, head of the National Council of Organized Workers, went further and said "counter marches" is a practice that was used during the years of the military dictatorship in Panama. And, even worse, this is what is currently being done in Venezuela, he added. "This is what happens in Venezuela: When opponents of President Hugo Chavez take to the streets, Chavez supporters will come out to hold a "counter march,"" Mena said on TVN. If anything regrettable had occurred, Mena said, "the primarily responsible" entity would have been the national government - because, he said - in this "counter march" there were government functionaries. (La Prensa)   

The Executive branch of government in Panama and the National Assembly have differences of opinion regarding the demands coming from some sectors to repeal Law 30, known as the "Chorizo Law." Trade Minister Roberto Henriquez insisted yesterday the repeal of Bill 30 is not on the government's agenda. Meanwhile, the President of the National Assembly, José Muñoz, said Law 30 "is not written in stone" and that " it may amended in its entirety." Similarly, lawmaker Jose Isabel Blandon from the Panameñista political party said he would present a proposal to extend the suspension of the three contentious articles of Law 30 - Articles 12, 13 and 14 - so that it would cover the entire law, except the part dealing with aviation. Blandon said the bill submitted by the Executive intends to postpone the entry into force of Articles 12, 13 and 14, is "not enough", therefore a "total repeal" is necessary to lay the groundwork for a real and "frank" dialog.

Despite having acknowledged a lack of public consultations when passing Law 30, president Ricardo Martinelli reiterated last week they would only review the three articles as agreed in Bocas del Toro. Minister Henríquez, a member of the Democratic Change (CD) political party and a top government spokesman, said they would wait to see the results of the dialog based on the agreements of Bocas del Toro, and if the repeal of Law 30 is proposed, the Executive would consider the recommendation.

Debates Begin: According to the President of the National Assembly, who is also a member of the CD political party, the Working Committee intends to conduct all of the consultations and to devote the time necessary to discuss the Executive's proposal and to include items that best suit the country. Law 30 modified the Labor, Criminal, and Judicial Codes, as well as the laws governing environmental protection and the National Police, among others, and gave rise to the protests in Bocas del Toro and other provinces. Starting today, the Labor Committee will begin the discussions.

The groups opposed to Law 30 reacted yesterday. Saul Mendez, leader of the SUNTRACS labor union, said that regardless of what the executive says or what the lawmakers do, they insist on a total repeal of the law, because it never should have been passed in the first place. Meanwhile, Andrés Rodríguez, a teachers union leader, insisted the postponement of some of the items in the law is not enough, and insisted on a total repeal of the law. He said the law was approved with violence and a violation of due process. For her part, environmental activist Raisa Banfield said it was "worrying" that the Government thinks it is necessary to come to extreme situations involving death and violence. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: The government has lost the initiative. They are now reacting to the labor unions, who are being politically manipulated by the PRD. This is all one huge political game, with the PRD trying to throw down banana peels for Martinelli - to give him opportunities to slip and make mistakes - in order to make him look bad, cause political damage, etc. Without a doubt Martinelli did overstep his bounds. He underestimated the PRD and the labor union's willingness to sacrifice their own people to protect the millions of dollars their receive every year in union dues. In my humble opinion most of these problems come from the fact that Martinelli is at heart a "hard nosed businessman" who is accustomed to simply giving orders and getting shit done. He's not accustomed to having to listen to anyone.

Why Not Repeal? In the case of Law 30 and the elements and articles contained within - they easily could (today) repeal the entire law. By throwing out the famous "Law 30" then they would be seen as having listened to the people, learned from their mistakes, and being responsive and sympathetic. Nobody likes a hard ass, which is why his approval rating dropped like 14% in just a couple of weeks. They could then pass a dozen new laws, the first containing only those elements and articles of Law 30 regarding commercial aviation. It would be easy because the law is already written. It would also be easy because they dominate the National Assembly, so they can do - both practically and literally - anything they want. Once that's done, they can slowly and calmly pass new individual laws to recreate each and every article that currently exists in the controversial Law 30. There would be just one new law containing articles 12, 13, and 14 which the union leaders hate so much. They could hold talks, discussions, consultations, public debate, conduct polls, whatever. By the end of that public discussion, which would only take about a week or two - everyone would be fully aware of why the content of articles 12, 13, and 14 are a better deal for the individual workers, and (admittedly) a bad deal for the labor unions. "We know the labor unions don't like this. We have heard their complaints, but we are going to pass this law because it's a better deal for the individual workers. We are siding with the people, and not with the special interests of the labor unions." That message has never come into the public debate on these issues - not once - because the headlines have been dominated by the labor unions who seized the initiative along time ago.

Take Your Time: Of course it would take longer to pass a dozen new laws to create each of the controversial elements of Law 30, about six months or so, but in the end they would have completely diffused the situation, they would have separated the different protesting organizations that now come together under one "Law 30" banner, regain the initiative, divide the opposition, buy time, be more professional and serious, and have ample opportunity to fully discuss and explain why they want to pass each individual article. They should slow, down, take their time, and do the same thing anyway. Slowly let the air out of the SUNTRACS tires. Or, instead of slowly letting the air out, they could go back to trying to blow the tires away with a shotgun and see how that works.    

Virgilo Castillo and Antonio Smith, the two banana workers who died during the demonstrations that occurred in the province of Bocas del Toro to demand the repeal of Act 30 of 2010, were buried on Sunday in the cemetery at Finca 6, in the district of Changuinola. The coffins were carried by banana workers to the cemetery, but not before there was a protest outside of the headquarters of the National Police in Changuinola, where people shouted over the deaths of their coworkers. Family and friends of the banana workers paid their last respects to Castillo and Smith. During his visit to the region yesterday, president Ricardo Martinelli said the government would take care of the families of the two workers. The demonstrations left a toll of hundreds of wounded, of which 53 were transferred to the capital city due to the severity of their injuries. (Panama America)   

Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli began his tour of Changuinola in the province of Bocas del Toro with "Finca 66" - where he met with some leaders of the Cambio Democratico political party. During the meeting they talked about what happened last week in clashes between police and strikers. He reiterated his apologies, as he listened to their requests to repeal Law 30. During the tour, Martinelli took the opportunity to provide scholarships to the children of the union leaders who were killed in the clashes. It is expected that during the afternoon, the President will make a major announcement regarding the future of the employment status of banana plantation workers. The atmosphere in Changuinola has been quiet, even though some had said there would be protests, before the preparations for the funeral which will be held tomorrow. (TVN Noticias)   

"It's not the right time." That is the general perception among banana union workers and indigenous leaders about the visit Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli is making today to Changuinola, in the province of Bocas del Toro. The "Bocatorenos" are still feeing the pain and anger over those who were killed and injured during two weeks of violent clashes between protesters and riot police. "We have to respect those who were killed. We mourn. We are not available to meet with the government now, it's not the right time," said Samuel Quintero, a union leader. Meanwhile, the unions and indigenous leaders confirmed that today there will be a vigil for the deceased and a funeral on Sunday. Yesterday, ministers of state had paved the way for the President to tour medical and social care facilities in that community. (La Estrella)   

The Government has assumed its guilt. Last night, the Minister of the Presidency, Jimmy Papadimitriu admitted there were flaws in the handling of the crisis in Bocas del Toro which left two dead and more than 200 wounded last week. "We regret what happened in the province of Bocas del Toro. This never should have happened. For the government this was a lesson learned, but we had to restore peace and order to Changuinola," he said. The clashes between members of the security forces and striking banana workers left 52 people wounded by bird shot to the eyes. The clash also left 33 police injured, and four who were kidnapped and held for a few days by the protesters. The majority of the injuries occurred on the third day of clashes, Saturday, 10 July 2010, the day commemorating the 24th anniversary of "Black Friday" - when the military regime of Manuel Antonio Noriega harshly repressed a demonstration by the Civil Crusade. According to the records of La Prensa, on that day, 10 July 1987, there was a total of about 600 people injured. Of those about 150 were shot with bird shot, and of that total only three suffered pellet wounds in their eyes.

Former officials of the security sectors in the last four governments claimed that during their respective administrations they never used bird shot to disperse demonstrations. The Chief of the police station in Bocas del Toro, Sub Commissioner Didier de Gracia, said many of the protesters were shot in the face when they reached down to pick up stones to throw at the police, or to grab tear gas canisters that had been fired to extinguish them in buckets of water, or if they crouched down for cover, that put them at the level of the shots fired by the police. He added that the first measure of force used was tear gas, and then rubber bullets, and that initially there were more than 4,000 protesting banana workers against only 150 police officers. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: That day, 10 July 1987, later to become known as "Black Friday", was the first day that I ever set foot in the Republic of Panama. When the Air Force assigned me here to fly as crew on C-130's I did some checking, and Panama was described in the magazines as the "best kept secret in the Air Force." Nothing ever happened here, they had a private beaches on both the Pacific and Atlantic, a golf course, a large military community, base exchanges and commissaries - in short, it sounded great. When the plane took off everything was cool. By the time we had landed at Howard Air Force Base all hell had broken loose. When we got off of the plane we were immediately informed that everyone had been restricted to base. That day started a process which eventually resulted in the invasion of Panama and the arrest of Manuel Antonio Noriega about two and a half years later. The police obviously were wrong to shoot people in the face (or anywhere else, for that matter) with bird shot. You can only have a fight if there are two sides willing to fight. The government says they have learned their lesson from this entire incident. In fact, they could have pulled out (back) from Changuinola completely and let the protesters protest. As it was, the police were outnumbered 26 to 1 - which is a very tough situation for any cop, especially in a riot. And, do you think it was just a coincidence that the worst of the clashes took place exactly on 10 July - or do you think that was coordinated by the PRD in order to put some of Noriega's stain on Martinelli. Please, see things for what they truly are. This entire evolution was nothing more than one huge banana peel, thrown down on the ground for Martinelli's people to slip on. And guess what? They reacted in a perfectly predictable manner, as expected.    

Panama's Attorney General Giuseppe Bonissi said today he would open an official investigation in order to clarify the events surrounding the deaths of two banana workers, who were killed during protests and clashes with riot police last week in the city of Changuinola, in the province of Bocas del Toro. Bonissi said he would also investigate the cases of those who were injured, especially those with eye injuries. He said they have already started taking testimony from witnesses. The banana workers were protesting against the controversial Law 30. At least two people were killed and more than one hundred inured in the riots. Tomorrow president Ricardo Martinelli will travel to the area for the first time since the problems started. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: You know, everybody makes mistakes. I do it all the time. Usually for most articles I'm both the writer and the editor so it's easy to miss my own mistakes, typos, stuff like that. However some of the other sites offering news in English should slow down, take a deep breath, and make sure to get the photo right, get the formatting for the website so you can, you know, like read the article and stuff, little details like that. And, this article was originally published by La Prensa, however the other website (yup, no free publicity) always fails to mention their original source, for all of their articles. I mean, they NEVER credit the source. Which sucks... Anyway, the guy in my article is actually Giuseppe Bonissi. The guy in their article is actually Neftalí Jaén, the special assistant to the Attorney General. I know, because I was in his office on Monday morning. Oh, and one more thing. The photo of Neftalí Jaén they used in their article that they lifted from La Prensa originally appeared in this article in the Panama America.

   

Panama's Attorney General, Giuseppe Bonissi, came out again to say that all those who were wounded or injured during the clashes between striking banana workers and riot police in Changuinola should go to their local health centers to receive medical attention. Bonissi said that none of these people will be arrested, and they should not be afraid. The head of the Public Ministry said there are no arrest warrants pending against any of the people who participated in the riots. This weekend president Ricardo Martinelli and his team will visit the district of Changuinola, in the province of Bocas del Toro, to see the reality of the site first hand, and to offer new proposals on how the national government will help the community. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: Why not open an "office of the Presidency" in Changuinola. Rent a small commercial space somewhere and send a couple of people to work there, with the sole mission of providing truthful and factual information to anyone who will listen. Give them an Internet connection, a fax machine, telephones, and a number they can (make it look like they are calling) to ask questions and get answers. The thousands of banana workers live their daily lives in a virtual information vacuum, which is being filled by the lies and disinformation being spread by the union organizers. Unfortunately in Panama there is a tendency for people - especially the most poor and least educated - to have the perception that only the President of the Republic can answer their questions. As soon as they are referred to a Ministry or some other underling, they think they are getting either the run-around, getting blown off, or getting incorrect information. Again, this is an information warfare campaign, and you can't fight the battle unless your soldiers are on the field. Martinelli is losing to the unions and the PRD because it's one against hundreds or thousands. He's not using the power of his office efficiently or effectively in this conflict.   

The National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO) and the National Front for Social Action (FRENADESO), who two days ago called for a 24-hour strike to protest against Law 30, said they would not participate in talks with the government unless Law 30 is first repealed. The member organizations of CONATO represent a total of some 200,000 workers, while the FRENADESO includes the labor sector, farmers, teachers, students and professionals, has a total of about 50,000 members. Mario Almanza, FRENADESO coordinator, said the workers have not asked for any dialogue to discuss the three articles of Law No. 30, but rather that the law be repealed in its entirety. "The call for dialogue is nothing but a distraction the government is using to mislead the people, but we will not fall for that game," he said. "There will be no turning back, we are demanding the repeal of the law," he said.

Almanza said on Saturday all of the union leaders will meet to schedule the next nationwide strike. Alfredo Berrocal, a CONATO leader, said his position is inflexible, and that any call for dialogue by the Government should be without demands or impositions. He said the shed blood of the dead and wounded in Bocas del Toro, who fought against the "law chorizo" would not go unpunished. Alfredo Prieto, the Communications Secretary of State, reiterated that at the dialogue table, the government would only discuss Articles 12, 13, and 14 of Law 30, as agreed with the workers in Changuinola. He noted the dialog opened by the government includes representatives from all sectors of society in order to reach an agreement between both sides. (El Siglo)

Editor's Comment: Is this according to the wishes and desires of their PRD political handlers? Why negotiate when you're beating your opponent silly in a street fight, right? They managed to give Ricardo Martinelli a few black eyes, and yesterday polling results were released showing at 14% drop in Martinelli's approval rating - which is exactly what the PRD wants to achieve. They have retaken the initiative and they are scoring points, so why give the other side any slack whatsoever? Folks, this is a political struggle, being managed by the PRD. This is their counter attack - a way to keep Martinelli off balance and to distract him from the legal actions his administration is perusing against the corrupt former government members of the PRD. Remember the CEMIS case? That's still pending and it's possible that both Martin Torrijos and Balbina Herrera might be at risk in that one. You can bet they are also scrounging through the files in the Municipality to try to find some dirt that will stick to Juan Carlos Navarro as well. This is what outright political warfare looks like, Panamanian style. The unions are just pawns being used by the PRD, and the actual (now blind) workers themselves are just pawns being used by the unions.   

The Ministry of Education (Meduca) reported this evening that tomorrow, Thursday, classes will be suspended at the National Institute (NI) and they are convening a general meeting with parents. The meeting will be tomorrow at 9:00 am in the auditorium of the school, because they found "objects that only serve for violent activities on campus." Through a press release Meduca said they are suspending classes in order to ensure a climate of peace in the school. Among the objects found in school are masks, hoods, iron rods and fireworks, "suggesting movements that threaten the normal functioning of classes." The management of the school and the authorities from Meduca decided to meet with guardians and parents to make them aware of the intentions of groups who are seeking to use the students from the National Institute to destabilize and promote an atmosphere of hostility and violence. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: The National Institute is the large high school on Ave. de los Martires, at the base of Ancon hill next to the road that leads to the Bridge of the Americas. The students of this school have traditionally been some of the first to run out into the streets to start throwing rocks and protesting for whatever reason, however recently MEDUCA has kept a lid on these kinds things. And everyone knows there are "outside influences" that infiltrate the most radical elements of the student body to incite riots - it's been going on forever.    

The general manager of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), Solomon Shamah said Wednesday that the government made mistakes that led to the conflict in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, but "we will make corrections." "Yes we made a serious mistake by not explaining the positive effects of the law. [But] what happened [in Bocas del Toro] was an accumulation of various things," said Shamah. The official said the government is aware of the extent and of the negative impacts from the strike in Changuinola. Thus, he said, they have opened a dialog to negotiate on articles 12, 13 and 14 of Law 30 (9 in 1), which relate to the deduction of union dues and the call to strike. "We have learned our part, but we want some sectors to understand that when they win the country loses," said Shamah during an interview given on Channel 13 Telemetro Reporta, in that - he said - if the general strike had been a success then it would have been a failure for the country. "When union leaders act to paralyze a country, the country fails," he said. Shamah said the country image of Panama at the international level was affected, and he lamented that influences investment. "It costs us years and years" to build the country's image, he added. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Did you catch that? Shamah said the big mistake they made was not taking the time to explain how the changes they made in Law 30 with regards to labor are in fact beneficial for the workers and the country. In fact, the people who liked those changes the most are the business community, and generally speaking in labor issues there are only two sides - unions on one side and the owners on the other. The history of organized labor follows the pattern of a swinging pendulum. When the workers are being abused then unions are more needed and their ranks swell. When the workers are not being abused then unions are not generally needed and they shrink. While shrinking, of course they do everything they can to not shrink - including lying to their members about the intentions of the bosses. That's the way it has always been all over the world, and Panama is no exception. Remember that Ricardo Martinelli has generally a big business mentality, however when business owners are responsible and when they care about their workers, unions are completely unnecessary. This Law 30 is generally bad for unions and organized labor, but not necessarily bad for the actual (non union) workers themselves. The debate on these issues will continue, of course, forever.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Yesterday I published an article detailing how the government of Ricardo Martinelli leaked an audio recording of a cell phone conversation supposedly between the President of the Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) (Revolutionary Democratic Party) in the Republic of Panama, Francisco "Pachi" Sánchez Cárdenas, and Saúl Méndez, who is the Secretary of Organization of the Sindicato Único Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria de la Construcción y Similares (SUNTRACS) (Single National Union of Construction Industry Workers and Similar), entitled "Bombshell: PRD Coordinating Riot Actions With SUNTRACS - Caught On Tape!". The "screaming banshees" out there - both the "future felon" and the "whack job" - spent the entire week while the protests and riots were going on in Bocas del Toro faithfully repeating the false rhetoric being produced by the extreme left wing disinformation artists, namely the union "leaders" and the PRD. In fact these people were doing nothing but manipulating the situation and the information to suit their own selfish purposes and agenda, and since that agenda happens to fit perfectly with that of the two "screaming banshees" they echoed and supported every word, while attacking the administration of Ricardo Martinelli at every opportunity, calling them "baby killers" or what have you. Screw the truth - I've got a bunch of great lies that I want to believe, so let me publish that crap, add my own spin, and call it "news." Great...

The Truth Comes Out: Now that the truth about this entire situation has come out, the entire conversation and debate has come to a screeching halt, practically instantly. The extremists (who were completely and totally wrong) have simply stopped talking. As recently as yesterday morning (before the publication of my article) one of the "screaming banshees" wrote (about me): "But meanwhile the veteran disinformation artist who started that false rumor got it picked up in right-wing Florida circles and further circulated on the Internet." He was talking about an article that appeared in the Panama America newspaper on Friday, 10 July 2010, which I translated verbatim and published under the title of "Banana Labor Union Leaders Have "Lost Control Of The Situation"". The simple fact of the matter is - at that time - the Minister of the Presidency was on the ground in Bocas del Toro and trying to achieve the release of several police officers who had been kidnapped by the protesters. Jimmy Papadimitriu told the reporter from the Panama America that (apparently according to intelligence information he had received) two of the police officers had been shot. And, it turned out later to not be the case. The police officers had not been shot. They almost were. Mendez wanted to shoot them in retaliation for the two protesters who had been killed in the riots.

Now We Know What He Was Talking About: Take another look at the title of that article. Banana union leaders have lost control of the situation. Two of the police officers had been shot. I now know that when he made these statements, Jimmy Papadimitriu had probably either heard or at least been briefed about the recording of the conversation between PRD President Francisco "Pachi" Sánchez Cárdenas and Saúl Méndez. In that conversation "Pachi" is practically begging the union leader not to shoot the police they were holding captive. They knew that the union leaders were losing control of the situation, because a drunk union "leader" was calling the president of the PRD, and they wanted to "kill a bunch of people." Papadimitriu thought the two cops might have been shot, thanks to the intercepted recording.

While Ignoring The Greater Crime of "Disinformation" The "whack job" screaming banshee is guilty of faithfully promoting and repeating the larger, strategic disinformation provided to him by the labor union leaders and left wing extremists. He can't see the truth because he's blind to the truth. Now that the truth has come out and everyone knows the real deal - there is a deafening silence from the other side. They are now hiding under the table, waiting for the smoke to clear, in order to come out to fight again another day. They will simply ignore what should be their utter embarrassment. The truth and facts mean nothing to them, if they don't fit with their political agenda. And of course, they will blame it all on me. And that, my friends, is why I am kicking their asses on a daily basis. Their version of the truth they publish is, in reality and in fact, the real "disinformation" campaign. And who is going to replace the eyeballs of the poor and ignorant banana workers who are now blind in one or both eyes, because they were stupid enough to believe the complete and utter bullshit these guys were repeating to them? No matter, it's all Martinelli's fault, right? Just keep repeating that, while sucking on your lithium lolly pop...

Copyright 2009 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

Several labor unions have maintained their call for a general strike today, Tuesday, which supposedly started last night at midnight. However, for the most part regular activity continues in Panama. Some schools are closed, while in others student attendance is irregular because teachers asked parents to not send their children to school. There are no problems in the transportation sector and people have been able to get to work. Meanwhile, all construction projects has been normal, at least in the early hours of the day. At some the workers showed up, but did not work. The trade unions made the call to strike to demand the repeal of Law 30, which includes changes to several codes, including labor. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: I just walked past four construction sites, only one of them is controlled by SUNTRACS. Activity continues as normal at three sites, and the SUNTRACS site was shut down. As predicted, this strike was a fizzle.   

After completing a general meeting the Association of Employees of the University of Panama (ASEUPA) and various student groups have partially closed Transístmica. College students and teachers' unions on Tuesday are participating in the 24 hour strike called for today by trade unions to demand the repeal of Law 30. In the midst of the protest, SUNTRACS members were marching towards Parque Porras where they will hold a rally. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: Sputter, sputter... This thing just had the wind knocked out of it. All of the radical protesters have been exposed for what they really are - manipulative, self serving pricks who use and manipulate poor people to line their own pockets. So they're marching through the streets. So what?   

The 28 workers who were arrested last week while participating in a protest, were released in the early morning hours today, 13 July 2010. The workers were being held at the headquarters of the National Police in Colon. They were (released) after the Second Superior Court of Justice declared their detention illegal. Police arrested the workers affiliated to the Single National Union of Construction Workers and Similar (SUNTRACS), on 6 July after they staged a protest and clashed with riot police on the road between Puerto Escondido and the Four Altos. The workers were arrested for allegedly committing "crimes against public servants" and "against the freedom of assembly and the press."

The legal basis applied by Judge Enrique Mon, who had the backing of his colleagues Maira Prados and María Luisa Vigil, provides that "preventive detention applies only to crimes which carry as a minimum sentence of four years imprisonment; in the case at hand, the alleged crimes being investigated do not allow for four years in prison, and therefore do not warrant the arrest order issued against the accused," said the decision. The application for habeas corpus in favor of the workers, was filed by lawyer Rolando Rodriguez Chong, against the Third Prosecutor of the Judicial Circuit of the province of Colon. (La Prensa)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Last night a highly controversial recording appeared on YouTube. This recording is supposedly a conversation between the President of the Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) (Revolutionary Democratic Party) in the Republic of Panama, Francisco "Pachi" Sánchez Cárdenas, and Saúl Méndez, who is the Secretary of Organization of the Sindicato Único Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria de la Construcción y Similares (SUNTRACS) (Single National Union of Construction Industry Workers and Similar). In the recording the two are apparently discussing and coordinating actions to be taken in Bocas del Toro during the height of the riots and conflicts between striking banana workers and police. First of all I'm going to provide the recording itself, as well as a transcript of what is said and a translation to English. I'll discuss the potential political implications of this later. This is a huge story that is dominating the Panamanian press (and gossip circles) today. (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (2,888 words)

PANAMA CITY, Jul. 12, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Students and workers from the University of Panama (UP) demonstrated on Monday in Panama City to support the nationwide strike. Damian Espino, general secretary of the UP Employees Association, said the protest was aimed to support the national strike, called by union groups in protest of the controversial Law 30. The law restricts the right of workers to strike and limits the right to join trade unions, he said. The protests, organized by the banana workers' union, turned violent last week in Bocas del Toro province, leaving two protestors dead and more than 200 injured.

The students and workers expressed their opposition to the government's actions against union leaders, professors and members of the civil organizations who supported the 10-day strike by the banana workers, said Espino. But Education Minister Lucy Molinar said those striking professors will be asked to work during this summer break and their salaries will be cut. The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) rejected the national strike, saying "it will not benefit the country but affect the normal functioning in both Panama's development and creating more jobs." It also asked that all social sectors to "make efforts to realize a sincere dialogue." "We urge both sides to recognize their mistakes and not to spread them to other regions." President Ricardo Martinelli on Monday visited injured strikers and those hospitalized after the violent clashes with riot police last week, pledging to provide best medical treatment for the injured.

Editor's Comment: It seems like the whole situation is generally being defused. The strike in Bocas has ended, the Attorney General's office has cancelled the arrest warrants that had been issued for 17 union and student leaders, and the general feeling is that the whole thing ir pretty much over, for now. Today's "general strike" will most likely be the last, somewhat anti climatic element of this entire invented evolution.    

Last night the Deputy Attorney General lifted the arrest warrants issued against 17 union leaders for alleged crimes against transportation and conspiracy to commit crime. It was learned copies of the the internal orders that supersede the arrest warrants, issued by the Deputy Attorney General, were delivered to the defense lawyers who represent the union leaders who were being sought for "crimes against transportation" and conspiracy to commit crime. The list included Saúl Méndez (SUNTRACS), Juan Ramón Herrera (teacher), Juan Carlos Salas, Juan Jované, Gloria Castillo (Frenadeso), Marcos Guzmán, Mario Almanza (teacher), Marcos Andrade, Cleovardo Gómez, Andrés Rodríguez (teacher), Pedro Franco (teacher), Cristian Sánchez and Ronaldo Ortiz (FER-29). The source reported the file is located in the Supreme Court which is expected to resolve requests for habeas corpus filed on behalf of the detained leaders. (Panama America)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - It's still early in the morning, and at this point everyone is waiting to see how many people are going to go to work today. Thus far the morning news channels have posted reporters at bus stops, to interview bus drivers who are saying "there are fewer students than normal going to school today." Panamanian parents typically keep their kids at home on days such as this, in order to avoid any potential problems and the possibility of having them stuck in the city with no bus service, for example. The message is mixed coming from the "transportation sector" with some saying they would support the strike, others saying they would not. Obviously the construction sites dominated by the SUNTRACS labor union will not be working, but apparently the rest of the construction sector (who, for the most part can't stand SUNTRACS) are reporting to work as normal. At this point it seems the actual impact of the "general strike" will be more for propaganda and rhetoric purposes than anything else. The simple fact of the matter is that the vast majority of the Panamanian people do not agree with the union leaders, and they don't support the strike.

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By Steven Maxwell - Striking banana workers reach deal with Panama government to lift controversial law to end 10-day strike. The government of Panama has reportedly reached an agreement with striking banana workers in the country by suspending a controversial law that restricted the right to take industrial action. According to reports in Panama, a deal to end the 10-day strike was reached earlier this week at a meeting between the country’s vice-president, Juan Carlos Varela, and representatives from banana workers’ union Sitraibana. The agreement included the suspension of several articles of the controversial Act 30, which had limited the rights of workers to join unions and restricted their ability to take strike action. Some 4,000 members of the union and a further 3,000 independent banana producers went on strike on 2 July in protest against the restrictions, and the resulting clashes with Panamanian police left two people dead and 120 injured. (fruitnet.com)   

Panamanian Trade Unions maintain the call to hold a general strike on Tuesday despite the agreement reached Sunday night between banana workers in Changuinola and the government, union sources said. The Secretary General of the National Confederation of Trade Union Unity (CONUSI), Gabriel Castillo, told Acan-Efe they are maintaining the call for a 24-hour general strike, demanding the repeal of the controversial Law 30, legislation amending provisions labor and the environment, among other issues. The general strike has been called by the Coordinating Committee for the Right to Life and National Dignity, that is comprised of, in addition to CONUSI, trade and union organizations such as the Single Trade Union of Construction Workers and Similar (SUNTRACS), one of the most belligerent in the country.

"There is a decision to demand the repeal of Law 30, which still has not yet been agreed, what's more in a statement made by the President (Ricardo Martinelli), yesterday afternoon, he said he would not repeal anything," added Castillo. The union leader also claimed that the authorities issued arrest warrants on Sunday against the principals of SUNTRACS, Genaro Lopez and Saul Mendez. The assistant prosecutor of the Public Ministry (MP), Angel Calderón, confirmed to reporters today he had issued orders to bring in 17 union leaders, among them Lopez and Mendez.

The strike will be held despite the fact that the strike in the banana producing region in the city of Changuinola, which lasted ten days and resulted in violent riots that left two dead and more than a hundred wounded, ended yesterday following an agreement with the government. The Executive agreed to temporarily suspend the implementation of the labor aspects of Law 30, which introduced restrictions on the right to strike and changed labor provisions. In addition, the groups maintain the call for a protest march through Panama City in the coming hours. A Health Ministry spokesman told Acan-Efe today that a total of 141 people were injured, 51 of them with eye injuries, many of them as the result of police gunfire using bird shot. Several of the wounded were taken to Santo Tomas hospital in Panama, where they were visited today by Martinelli, who promised full support. (Panama America)   

President Ricardo Martinelli complained this afternoon that "humble Panamanians" were "used" in the riots that occurred in the province of Bocas del Toro. Martinelli was referring to those who were injured during a strike that lasted 10 days and that left two dead and more than a hundred injured. The strikers were opposed to the adoption of Law 30, which amended three codes and six laws of the Republic. The president made his statements about the injured to local media while leaving the Santo Tomas hospital after visiting with them. Martinelli said they would use all state resources and the persons injured would receive operations "in the best places." (La Prensa)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Representatives from the government of Panama have reached an agreement with striking banana plantation workers in Changuinola to put an end to violent protests there. The text of the agreement follows:

• Between the Government commission composed of the Vice President of the Republic of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, Ministers of State, Jimmy Papadimitriu, Alejandro Garuz, Emilio Kieswetter, Carlos Duboy, Franklin Vergara, Ivan de Icaza; for the National Assembly José Muñoz Molina and Osman Gómez; for the Catholic Church oberto Sirauqui and Aníbal Saldaña; for the trade unions Genaro Benett and social leaders and other participants of the struggle waged in the town of Changuinola, Bocas Del Toro, have agreed to put an end to the existing conflict under the following points, namely;

• 1. It was agreed to postpone by the National Assembly, the applicability of Articles 12,13 and 14 of Act 30 of 2010, until an agreement is reached in a national dialog which will be implemented in the shortest time possible, about this law, within a period of 90 days from the signing of this agreement.

• 2. In turn, the Government promises to discuss and establish a national banana policy, and to implement a social formula to help resolve the high cost of living in the province of Bocas del Toro and in the rest of the country.

• 3. The parties to this agreement, national and provincial authorities, community workers and others involved are committed to maintaining a climate of peace and understanding towards the future, with the spirit of seeking consensus in the national dialog, and that we will all work in peace and tranquility in the province of Bocas del Toro, under the commitment that the difficulties that arise in connection with the problem that has occurred in this province, be resolved through dialog. Given in the city of Changuinola, July 11, 2010.

• Signed; Juan Carlos Varela, Vice-president; Jimmy Papadimitriu, Negotiating Commission, Executive Branch; Genaro Benett, Sitraibana, for the trade unions and social organizations; José Muñoz Molino, for the National Assembly, Roberto Sirauqui, for the Catholic Church

• Agreement (Addition)

• Among the committee comprised of government ministers and the vice president of the Republic of Panama and the trade unions, social organizations and other participants of the struggle waged in the the town of Changuinola, Bocas Del Toro, on the occasion of the current conflict, the strike and protests over Law 30 of 2010 have attached to the agreement that ended the conflict, have agreed as follows:

• 1. The government promises to attend to the problems of the victims of the conflict with social assistance from the FIS or through allowances and / or pensions, such as funeral expenses and assistance to the families of the deceased.

• 2. The government promises to release all those who were detained as product of the protests against Law 30 of 2010 in the province of Bocas Del Toro, who will not be prosecuted or punished, including union leaders and other participants in the movement.

• 3. The government promises to realize a dialog on the Organic Act of the Ngobe Bugle.

• Given in the city of Changuinola, July 11, 2010.

• Signed: Signed; Juan Carlos Varela, Vice-president; Jimmy Papadimitriu, Negotiating Commission, Executive Branch; Genaro Benett, Sitraibana, for the trade unions and social organizations; José Muñoz Molino, for the National Assembly, Roberto Sirauqui, for the Catholic Church

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

After the cessation of clashes between rioting groups of banana workers in the province of Bocas del Toro, the Minister of the Presidency, Jimmy Papadimitriu, on Sunday ordered the reopening of the Changuinola airport. "We are restoring order and normalizing the free flow of people," said Papadimitriu. Papadimitriu and Vice President Juan Carlos Varela remain in Bocas del Toro in talks with the representatives of the banana workers union, who are demanding the repeal of Law 30, known as the "sausage law", because according to them it "violates trade union rights." (Telemetro)    

The president, Ricardo Martinelli, spoke this afternoon about the crisis in Bocas del Toro and said in a statement that "the law will not be repealed and it will be interpreted as indicated," referring to the controversial Law 30 which is rejected by the protesters. The President's statement came today, 11 July 2010, after ten days of strikes in the banana plantations of Changuinola in Bocas del Toro, that have resulted in the confirmed deaths of two people during clashes between demonstrators and police. According to Martinelli, the Law "does not affect labor rights and only gives the option to employees, among other things, to decide whether to pay union dues or not."

"There was misinformation" - Martinelli attributed the problems in Changuinola to "misinformation and a series of lies" that have swirled around this issue. In this sense, Martinelli, accompanied by this ministers of state, said the Government will continue to dialogue to resolve the situation in Bocas del Toro. He said worker's rights to things such as holidays, vacation time, and Sundays as a day of rest remain the same and have not been eliminated by Law 30. "The intransigence of a group of trade unionists can not do away with the banana industry in Changuinola," said the President. "We will not allow the banana industry in Changuinola to disappear, thanks to union leaders such as the SUNTRACS (Single National Union of Workers in the Construction Industry and Allied Workers) who have no idea of what democracy is in a country, and who want to end the rule of law," said Martinelli. (La Prensa)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - It is indeed true that a child died while the strikes and protests were occurring in Changuinola, in Panama's Western province of Bocas del Toro. However according to the Regional Director of Health, the child died of complications arising from a severe case of diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, and the death "had nothing to do with the riots." Some of the more irresponsible and agenda driven people, especially the labor activists and their sympathizers who literally hate the administration of Ricardo Martinelli and the labor aspects of the recently passed Law 30 are trying to blame this death on the administration, which is simply untrue. In reading reports about the conflicts you have to consider the source to spot their bias. These conflicts are generally heating things up in Panama and the rhetoric is also getting hotter. In my humble opinion it would be wise for most members of the English speaking expatriate community in Panama to exercise restraint. You might have strong feelings one way or the other, but now is not a good time to jump on one bandwagon or the other, especially while people are taking loads of bird shot and union and student activists are being arrested. Remember - above all we are visitors here. This would be a good time to shut the hell up and watch as Panamanians figure out how they want to deal with this distinctly Panamanian problem. That's just my two bits, for what it's worth. It would be exceptionally unwise to stick your nose into this conflict from practically any angle at this point.

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

Violent confrontations between Panama's banana workers and police in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, on the Caribbean coast, that so far has left two confirmed dead, and stranded tourists who are not able to leave Panama. A group of Costa Rican tourists were reported to be able to fly out of Panama on Saturday, but many more are still stuck on the ground waiting for some form of transportation. The family of one of the young men which was part of a group of 8 that were able fly out of Panama told the media that there are at least 80 Costa Ricans visiting Bocas del Toro when the violence broke out. However, Costa Rica's embassy in Panama said on Friday there were no Costa Ricans in the violence zone. The almost two week old strike by workers of the Bocas Fruit Compnay, where workers are demanding the repeal of Bill 30, better known as the 9 in 1 law, that escalated to violence.

The two main streets in Changuinola are guarded by riot police and shops remain closed. As well tourists are found with no transportation to take them across the border into Costa Rica and the border crossing at Sixaola is being closely controlled to avoid a massive dash of Panamanians into Costa Rica to avoid the escalating violence. The new Law 30, also known as the "9 in 1" law, passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by president Ricardo Martinelli, contains one article that really has the labour unions pissed off.

Prior to the passage of this law, workers didn't have any choice over the payment of union dues. Employers had to deduct those dues from their worker's paychecks and hand the money straight over to the unions. The law in Panama has been exceptionally "pro union" for a very many years. Now, with the passage of Law 30, workers have a choice. They are no longer forced to make union dues payments, and the payments of those dues are voluntary.

Read more on Article 30 from Panama-Guide.com.

Source: Inside Costa Rica. Thanks for the trackback.    

Police shot dead a second banana plantation worker in Bocas del Toro province on Saturday during militant street protests by over 1,000 striking Bocas Fruit Company employees. Banana workers went on strike on July 2 because they had not been paid for two weeks. They have since shut down much of western Bocas del Toro province with roadblocks and barricades. Meanwhile right-wing President Ricardo Martinelli has signed a new law that allows employers to suspend contracts of striking staff and hire scabs - and makes union dues voluntary. On Thursday police shot protesting union leader Antonio Smith, sparking violent clashes that have injured over 100 people, mostly trade unionists. Eighteen of the injured are in critical condition. Police have arrested over 80 strikers. Cabinet chief Jimmy Papadimitriu, who is leading a commission that's seeking to negotiate with the workers, said that talks "may" be imminent. (www.morningstaronline.co.uk)