Banana workers from more than 21 farms in the province of Bocas del Toro decided in a General Assembly to join the strike against the concession granted to Minera Panama. This decision has the country convulsed. 

The strike approved by the Union of Workers of the Banana Industry, Agriculture and Related Companies (Sitraibana) is for 48 hours, extendable, throughout the banana division of the province of Bocas del Toro. 

In a statement, the workers asked the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) to declare the unconstitutionality of this mining law 406, approved by the National Assembly and negotiated by the Executive. 

"We made it clear that the strike is not against the Chiquita Panama company, but against the little attention that the government has paid to addressing the clamor of the Panamanian population," he said.  

Due to the nationwide protest's impact, the company lacks inputs, materials and fuel to continue operating throughout the banana division, which has caused the suspension of work, affecting more than 5,000 permanent and administrative workers. 

"It is estimated that there are approximately 250,000 boxes of bananas for export, which have been prevented from being exported during these days of national strike," they point out.