Sin categoría
Protesters against Panama’s soaring costs end roadblocks: authorities
AFP
Protesters angry at the high cost of living in Panama ended their three-week blockade of major roads on Tuesday, authorities said, as negotiations between the government and groups behind the demonstrations continued.
Security minister Juan Manuel Pino told AFP in a short message that the roads were “all open” for the first time since the protests began.
Earlier, police had announced on Twitter that “the roads that had been kept closed by protests have been cleared,” and traffic was flowing freely.
Panama has been gripped by protests over the cost of living and corruption in the worst social crisis since the American invasion of the country in 1989.
Since the unrest began, protesters have blocked various roads, most notably the Pan-American Highway, which connects Panama with Costa Rica and is the country’s main route for trade and the transport of goods.
The severing of the routes had led to shortages of food and fuel in several cities.
On Tuesday, leaders of the indigenous region of Ngabe-Bugle in the east of the country announced that they would stop blocking the Pan-American Highway in the province of Chiriqui, the source of most of the fresh food consumed in the country.
The president of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, had reiterated on Tuesday his call for protesters to reopen the roads.
“The protests (and) closures of streets and highways affect us all, putting at risk the health and lives of Panamanians, and raising the cost of food and threatening employment,” he said.
While the government “respects the right to protest,” Cortizo said it should be done “without disruptions to social order, violations of the rights of third parties, and much less acts of vandalism.”
The opening of the roads came amid talks that have been taking place since Thursday in Penonome, 150 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of the capital, between the government and representatives of the organizations behind the protests.
So far, the government has agreed to reduce the cost of 72 basic goods and to lower the price of fuel from $5.20 per gallon (3.78 liters) to $3.25.
However, the groups have demanded the price of gasoline be cut to $3, along with reductions to the cost of medicines and electricity, improvements to public health and education, and measures to fight corruption.
Sin categoría
Brazil to host global forum against racism and discrimination
November 30 |
The city of São Paulo, Brazil, will host from Wednesday to December 1 the third edition of the Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination promoted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).
During the meeting, participants will address the value of putting the fight against racism at the center of the realization, as well as the implementation of strategies for socioeconomic growth.
The Forum will bring together government officials, including ministers, politicians, practitioners, academics, members of civil society and the arts community to discuss effective strategies for addressing systemic racism.
Unesco will launch a Network of National Authorities against Racism and Discrimination to implement the advancement of innovative and inclusive public policies and solutions aimed at peace, equality and non-discrimination.
The international body will report on proposals for new initiatives and address a range of issues, including the realization of inclusive public policies, the protection of gender equality and the empowerment of civil society.
It will also address the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples, the strengthening of the role of cities, civic spaces and the artistic and academic communities.
The city of São Paulo is one of South America’s main financial, corporate and commercial centers.
Sin categoría
Political leaders recall Fidel Castro’s legacy
August 14|
On August 13, on the occasion of the 97th birthday of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, the main figures of the Greater Antilles, as well as friendly countries remembered his legacy.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz – Canel Bermúdez, through his account on X, formerly called Twitter, said: “Cuba celebrates the 97th birthday of the most Martiano of its sons, of the historic leader of the Generation that fulfilled the dreams of the Apostle. It is a day to celebrate, without forgetting that every day is to give continuity to his work”.
For his part, the Prime Minister, Manuel Marreo Cruz, referred to the former president as “eternal young rebel” and stressed that “being faithful continuators of his legacy and his ideas is today the “best gift”.
Likewise, the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, assured to remain on “the path of dignity, solidarity and social justice” that the leader bequeathed. “Fidel will guide with his ethics and morals our revolutionary diplomacy,” he stressed on the social network itself.
On the other hand, the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, affirmed remembering him “as a tireless rebel, intolerant of injustice and master of the impossible.” He added that “Fidel encourages us to continue fighting for the dignity of the peoples”.
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Iván Gil, referred to the eternal Commander as “a soldier of ideas and a beacon of light” for all revolutionaries who walk the path of struggle “against imperial powers that continue attacking Our America”.
Fidel was one of the most outstanding statesmen, thinkers and revolutionaries of the 20th century. He led the war of liberation against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, under the protection of the U.S. government, in the 1950s, with the aim of generating the profound political, economic and social transformations that Cuba needed.
Central America
Salvadoran heroes who provided aid in Turkey return home
February 19 |
After nine days away from home, the Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) El Salvador and the Humanitarian Rescue Unit (HRU) of the Armed Forces, made up of 111 rescuers, military and health personnel, who carried out search and rescue work in Turkey, returned to Salvadoran soil.
This nation was strongly affected last February 6 by two earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.6 on the Richter scale, and El Salvador was one of the first countries to send rescue support.
The Salvadoran heroes landed on their return flight on Saturday afternoon at the San Oscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport, where they were received by the authorities of the Ministries of the Interior, Defense, Health, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and the directors of Civil Protection and Firefighters.
“Thank you, a great job, it is a pride to work with you, it is a pride to have you at home, welcome heroes”, were the words of the Minister of the Interior, Juan Carlos Bidegain.
He added that thanks to the work done, El Salvador was able to demonstrate in Turkey that it has highly prepared teams that have now been placed among the elite USAR teams around the world.
“We are the ones who are grateful to you, what you have done, what you have done is incredible, what you have done is wonderful,” said Bidegain.
For his part, Erick Vázquez, lieutenant of the USAR-EL SALVADOR group, in his report to the authorities, highlighted the rescue of two people alive.
“We have done a job with all the logistics involved, we went to put into practice everything we learned. We had the joy of performing two rescues, a minor and a woman of approximately 30 years of age, we are proud to have done it”, celebrated Vázquez.
He explained that during their stay in Turkey, from February 9 to 17, they worked in 15 buildings, in which the canine unit and the rescuers did the work they were assigned to do, earning the respect and admiration of USAR groups from the rest of the world.
“Leaders of other USAR groups around the world have told us that we have positioned ourselves among the best, along with France, Germany and Egypt, among others,” Vazquez said.
The recognition given by the leaders of other USAR groups was also shared by Defense Minister Rene Francis Merino Monroy.
“I want to highlight the level of the two search teams of El Salvador [USAR and UHR] to provide assistance to other countries,” said the official.
At the same time he added: “We have in El Salvador a response team that can highly prepared to help foreign countries”.
Merino Monroy congratulated the USAR and UHR team of the Armed Forces for putting the name of El Salvador on high and fulfilling the mission entrusted to them.
“The mission that was entrusted to them, to the USAR and UHR group of the Armed Forces, to rescue lives was fulfilled, in addition to reviewing and cleaning each of the buildings in which they worked,” said the minister.
Turkey’s ambassador to El Salvador, Gül Büyükerşen, also received the heroes and expressed her gratitude for the support of the Salvadoran teams, as well as to President Nayib Bukele’s willingness to help from the first moment.
“President Nayib Bukele was one of the first leaders who spoke with my president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, by phone (after the earthquakes),” said the diplomat.
In addition, he stressed that “El Salvador may be a small country (in territory), but it has a big heart”.
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