Members of Panama’s Suntracs construction workers’ union staged intense violent riots in Panama City on Wednesday, leaving 17 injured police officers and more than 500 people arrested by local law enforcement agents.
The union workers staged the riots to oppose a bill reforming the Panamanian Social Security Fund undergoing debate at the country’s National Assembly. The bill, commonly referred to as “Bill 163,” would introduce changes to the nation’s disability, elderly, and death pension programs. Suntracs reportedly argued that the government has not allowed citizens proper input on the proposed changes.
Local newspaper La Prensa reported that the violent clashes between the union workers and the police took place on Panama City’s Balboa Avenue, near the location of both the Santo Tomás hospital and a new children’s hospital under construction, where the rioters barricaded themselves in. Additionally, Suntracs members reportedly erected blockades on several roads across Panama since the early morning hours of the day.
Jaime Fernández, director of Panama’s National Police, told reporters that the violent rioters, most of whom were construction workers, threw blunt objects at police officers. La Prensa reported that a female police officer was seriously injured after a block thrown from the upper floors of the unfinished children’s hospital hit her.
Fernández remarked that the rioters also caused damage to nearby private property and pointed out that four police patrol vehicles were damaged after construction rods were hurled at them. The police director asserted that the individuals responsible will be prosecuted and announced that a special jail has been set up for the detainees, who will follow the corresponding judicial process.
“This is a public order issue and it has to stop. It is one thing to demonstrate and express patriotism, but this is not patriotism,” Fernández told reporters. “Order must be maintained. We cannot continue like this.”
“We have not violated anyone’s rights. There is evidence of all the damages that were done,” he continued.
🚨 Tomaremos las acciones necesarias contra quienes alterando el orden público, atentaron contra la integridad de nuestras unidades y de los ciudadanos. No permitiremos la violencia ni la impunidad. #Justicia #OrdenYSeguridad pic.twitter.com/j6BkmiHdoR
— Policía Nacional (@policiadepanama) February 12, 2025
Suntracs representatives reportedly claimed they had taken the streets Wednesday for a “peaceful demonstration” against the proposed social security bill and instead accused the Panamanian police of repressing them.
Police Deputy director Jorge Domínguez spoke to local news channel TVN on Thursday morning and confirmed the violent protesters left 17 police officers injured, three who are receiving urgent medical attention at an intensive care unit. Domínguez further informed that approximately 514 individuals have been arrested, of which more than 70 will be investigated for the alleged crime of attempted murder.
Domínguez also refuted claims made by Suntracs and asserted that protesters never carried out a peaceful demonstration as initially claimed. Domínguez said that, according to the nation’s constitution, a demonstration does not require any permit as long as it does not affect third parties — but pointed out that the constitution establishes that law enforcement may use “the necessary means to reestablish public order,” as was done throughout the day.
Domínguez explained that the violent protesters used the unfinished hospital building as a trench to throw objects into the street, thus affecting third parties. The police officers accused the protesters of using heavy materials, such as concrete blocks and iron rods, as potentially lethal weapons, which could lead to charges of attempted homicide, and stressed that all those arrested were inside the occupied buildings during the riots.
President José Raúl Mulino condemned the violent acts in remarks shared with the local newspaper La Estrella de Panama and promised that he would not allow “anarchy in the country.” Mulino further condemned protesters’ use of the unfinished children’s hospital for the violent riots, stressing that the building is a public work paid for with Panamanian resources for the children and not for the use of political-union organizations.
“I hope that the full weight of the law falls on them and that the Public Prosecutor’s Office acts,” Mulino said.
During a press conference on Thursday morning, Mulino announced that the office of the Comptroller General will audit the funding that the Suntracs workers’ union received from different government entities and that he will not approve funds for Suntracs and other unions until the audits are completed. Mulino also called for the Panamanian Chamber of Construction to “stop pimping” the union because “they are sponsoring a union terrorist organization.”
“We are going to exercise all our power to bring them to their minimum expression,” Mulino said, and added that Suntracs will understand what the “weight of the law” means and of a “government willing not to allow pseudo-union anarchy in this country.”
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
