Police outside the Soloy hotel
As we are writing this, the Soloy hotel in Panama City is being raided by the police. Union leaders who were having a meeting there have been arrested.
Other union people who were marching towards the Plaza 5 de Mayo were also arrested by the police.
Details are still sketchy, but it is certain that various unions will initiate a nation-wide strike starting Monday (Update: La Critica says it's Tuesday, and in Veraguas activists have closed the highway).
We suspect the arrests are to negotiate a hostage exchange with activists who took three or four policemen hostage in Bocas. After all, police chief Gustavo Perez has a proven track record of taking hostages.
UPDATE: It looks like there is still a large group of civic leaders inside the hotel, which is under siege by the police. They didn't break any law, they were just having a meeting to coordinate a national strike.
UPDATE: La Prensa reports that the police has given up and is withdrawing from the area.
Including Rev Roberto Bruneau of the Ecumenic Council
There is no such a thing as Freedom of Reunion, Constitutional Guarantees and Rights ignored = Welcome Dictatorship
and is RM still MIA?
sadly he is…
Pingback: CHAOS: Does Panama still have one government? | Bananama Republic