In the City of Panama, defense lawyers for the Panamanian builders detained for participating in protests against Bill 163 on the Social Security Fund (CSS) have denounced abuses by the Police. According to lawyer Roy Navarro, his client Yerisbeth Sánchez was mistreated by a law enforcement officer during her arrest, prompting him to request an investigation into the official involved in the incident.
The general secretary of the National Union of Workers of the Construction Industry and Similar (Suntracs), Saúl Méndez, has expressed that the process against about 83 members of the organization is illegal, as the prosecution cannot support the charges and the detainees are being mistreated, being considered political prisoners.
At a press conference, Méndez announced that the National Council of the organization has decided to begin a 24-hour warning strike to demand the release of the detainees and the repeal of the regulation affecting the pensions of workers and their families. He stated that the struggle will continue despite the threats from the president of the Republic and the head of the National Police.
Moreover, Méndez criticized the closure of Suntracs' accounts by the National Bank as an act of persecution, in line with the directives from the head of state. Among the planned actions against Bill 163, a march has been announced for next Thursday from Belisario Porras Park to the vicinity of the National Assembly, where the second debate of the initiative presented by the Government is taking place.
