Panama seeks national dialogue amid intense protests and social tension
The Government of Panama has called for a national dialogue table this Thursday at the Ciudad del Saber. The Catholic Church will act as a mediator between the authorities and various social groups, associations, and movements. This meeting seeks to find urgent solutions to the crisis the country is experiencing due to the high cost of living and other economic problems.
While the dialogue is awaited, the situation in the streets remains very tense. In Plaza 5 de Mayo, heavy clashes were recorded between protesters and the police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd. These protests have caused the paralysis of transport to the interior of the country, affecting routes from Chame to Chiriquí and leaving the Albrook Terminal with very little activity.
Given this escalation of tension, the United Nations in Panama has called on the Government to seek consensus that allows for the restoration of calm. For its part, the Government Innovation Authority (AIG) has explained the details so that citizens can register on the "Combustible Solidario" (Solidarity Fuel) platform, a measure that seeks to alleviate the impact of gasoline prices on the population.
In the field of justice, several journalism guilds have requested that the hearing for the Odebrecht case be public. The National Council of Journalism and other organizations are calling for greater transparency and true accountability from the authorities in this judicial process, which is so relevant to the country.
In international news, the young Ukrainian athlete Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who holds the world's best mark of the year in high jump, made strong statements in Oregon, United States. Mahuchikh called the Russian officials "killers," expressing her nation's pain due to the current war conflict.
Finally, in the world of sports, Latin Americans Eugenio Suárez and José Miranda stood out with an excellent offensive performance in Major League Baseball. In football, Panamanian Rolando "El Toro" Blackburn has already begun training with Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in Costa Rica. Additionally, it was revealed in an interview that national team player Rosario Vargas practiced ballet before starting her successful career in professional football.