Central America
Panama government and protesters strike deals to clear key highway
AFP
Panama’s government and indigenous leaders reached a second deal Sunday to clear all remaining demonstrators from the Panamerican Highway in exchange for lower fuel prices, ending a two-week blockade that had stymied food deliveries.
The government released footage from the signing of an initial agreement in far-west Chiriqui province, where most of the Central American country’s food is produced, and of a blocked section of the highway being cleared.
Angered by high prices and corruption, protesters had clogged the highway linking Panama to the rest of Central America over the past two weeks. Large trucks and banner-waving demonstrators paralyzed the strategic route, making it hard for the country of 4.4 million to feed itself.
To avert the crisis, a second deal was signed later Sunday in Santiago de Veragua, a city 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Panama City, the epicenter of the negotiations and a protester stronghold.
“Many Panamanians have suffered from these stoppages,” said Vice-President Jose Gabriel Carrizo after signing the agreement. “This is a huge government effort.”
The deal establishes the fixed price of fuel for 91 and 95 octane gasoline and diesel, and is effective from July 18.
“The traffic of cars and heavy equipment in Veraguas is free,” Eduardo Cortés, who participated in the demonstrations on the highway, told AFP by phone.
The proposal of 3.25 dollars per gallon (3.78 liters), was better than the 3.30 offered in the deal made earlier in the day with the indigenous community of the Ngabe-Bugle Comarca in Chiriqui.
“This has not been easy, we have made progress with (reducing the cost of) the basic food basket,” said Luis Sanchez, a spokesman for the organizations promoting the protests.
In Panama City, a hundred people gathered on the waterfront to demonstrate. They all wore black, in contrast with the white suits worn by lawmakers during official ceremonies.
Food costs are “higher than what is earned. We have a big social problem,” lawyer Jaqueline Hurtado told AFP. “People are fed up and have taken to the streets to demonstrate for things to change.”
Retiree Iliana Arango said: “In my 68 years of life, I am tired of seeing governments that promise, go up, steal, go down, the next one follows and here we are lacking everything, medicine, education, food.”
Year-on-year inflation in Panama of 4.2 percent was recorded in May, along with an unemployment rate of about 10 percent and fuel price hikes of nearly 50 percent since January.
Despite its dollarized economy and high growth figures, the country has a high rate of social inequality.
Economic woes have led to a shortage of fuel in some parts of the country, and stalls at food markets in the capital have run out of products to sell.
Central America
Bodies found in black plastic bags in a clandestine cemetery in Honduras
A clandestine cemetery was discovered this Friday in the 28 de Marzo neighborhood of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, according to local media reports. Police authorities have arrived at the scene to begin the corresponding investigations.
The discovery was made after residents in the area spotted a body wrapped in black plastic bags and notified authorities. Shortly afterward, another set of remains was found just a few meters away. Specialized teams also reported the presence of animal bones, prompting investigations to determine whether the remains belong to a single individual or multiple bodies, along with the animal remains found.
Honduran media also reported that security forces have launched an operation in nearby areas to determine if more human remains are present.
Central America
Two U.S. military planes deport dozens of Guatemalans amid Trump’s massive migration crackdown
Two U.S. military planes carrying dozens of deported Guatemalans arrived in Guatemala on Friday, following the announcement by Donald Trump’s administration of the beginning of a massive migrant deportation operation, according to official authorities.
A total of 79 Guatemalans (31 women and 48 men) were onboard the first flight, which landed at midnight, the Guatemalan Migration Institute reported. A second plane arrived Friday morning, though the exact number of passengers on that flight has not yet been confirmed. Authorities are also expecting an additional flight.
“We can confirm that, overnight, two Department of Defense planes conducted repatriation flights from the United States to Guatemala,” the Pentagon stated.
Central America
El Salvador extends condolences to Turkey following deadly hotel fire
The Government of El Salvador extends its condolences and expresses solidarity with the Government of Turkey following the death of at least 76 people and more than 50 injuries in the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Province on January 21.
“El Salvador offers its hopes for the swift recovery of those affected and expresses its deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased due to this tragic event,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Our country reaffirms the strong bonds of friendship shared with the Republic of Turkey, especially during this time of profound sorrow.”
The Turkish government began burying the victims on Wednesday, amid accusations of negligence.
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