Panama declares emergency over banana region unrest
Panama declares emergency over banana region unrest
Panama has declared an emergency in its main banana-producing region, after shops were looted and buildings vandalised in ongoing protests over a pension reform.
The government says constitutional rights will be suspended for the next five days in the north-western Bocas del Toro province.
The measure restricts freedom of movement and allows the police to make arrests without a warrant.
Troubles in the region began a month ago, when the local banana workers union joined a nationwide protest against proposed pension cuts and declared a strike.
For those unaware, Chiquita recently laid off literally everyone involved in their production in this region due to the labor dispute. They were the primary economic driver of that entire region and employed most of the people, who’s income supported everything else. The region is majorly destabilizing and viciously collapsing in on itself
Can't they keep working the land and just sell their bananas somewhere else?
They don't own the land.
They don't own the equipment.