Panamanians Take To
Streets Protesting High
Cost Of Living
PANAMA CITY -
Panamanians Thursday
staged a 24-hour strike
to protest against the
rising costs of living,
which has paralyzed the
public transportation
system and affected
hospital services.
The strikes in many
sectors of society were
widely supported, said
Mario Almanza, a leader
of the strike organized
by the Coordinator of
Fight for the Life and
Dignity and Respect for
the People.
The public
transportation system in
the east of the Panama
City was paralyzed,
which made it impossible
for many to reach their
working places.
Workers and students
chanted slogans for
salary rise and freezing
of food prices in
demonstrations in the
Panama City.
Doctors, professors,
indigenous associations
and popular
organizations also
joined the strike to
protest against the high
cost of living.
Around 90 percent of the
hospitals in Panama were
affected by the strike,
said doctor Fernando
Castaneda,
representative of the
National Medical
Negotiating Commission (Comenenal).
"The outpatient
consultations in
hospitals have been
completely paralyzed,
and only some special
and hospitalized
patients get their
service," Castaneda told
Xinhua.
At least 20 people were
detained in Colon city,
80 km from the Panama
City, where the strike
turned violent, said a
strike leader named Saul
Mendez.
"Another report that we
have is that a
construction worker was
hit at Colon and fell
from a police vehicle in
strange circumstances,
and there are also
detainees by riot
police," Mendez said
near the Legislative
Assembly.
From the early morning,
clashes took place
between riot police and
university students, who
were trying to close
streets in certain part
of the city.
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