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Panama declares emergency over banana region unrest (www.bbc.com)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

21 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Panama has declared an emergency in its main banana-producing region, after shops were looted and buildings vandalised in ongoing protests over a pension reform.

The government says constitutional rights will be suspended for the next five days in the north-western Bocas del Toro province.

The measure restricts freedom of movement and allows the police to make arrests without a warrant.

Troubles in the region began a month ago, when the local banana workers union joined a nationwide protest against proposed pension cuts and declared a strike.

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[-] [email protected] 52 points 3 days ago

For those unaware, Chiquita recently laid off literally everyone involved in their production in this region due to the labor dispute. They were the primary economic driver of that entire region and employed most of the people, who’s income supported everything else. The region is majorly destabilizing and viciously collapsing in on itself

[-] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago

Can't they keep working the land and just sell their bananas somewhere else?

[-] [email protected] 18 points 3 days ago

They don't own the land.
They don't own the equipment.

[-] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago

True, but if Chiquita wants to throw a wrench into the capitalist social contract, then that sounds like a seize the means of production moment.

[-] [email protected] 17 points 3 days ago

That's when the US steps in and kills everyone supporting socialism.

[-] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago

A second time.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

The Panamanian could ask for tips from Viet farmers

[-] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

Or the much closer Zapatistas.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago

Which is why the state legalized kidnapping for five days in regions infected with that mind virus

[-] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Yes, the state hierarchy has employed authoritarian violence against the people of the region... which will inevitably happen any time workers attempt to threaten the power of the dominant system and take back control over what is rightfully theirs from an unjust authority. That is just the logical outcome. It was the same when Feudalism's system of absolute monarchy was being threatened by the growing popularity of capitalist Liberalism's system of constitutional monarchy.

Hierarchical authority enforces its power over the people through implied violence of the system. "Obey the law (i.e. the will of those who hold authority in written form) or we will arrest/fine you (i.e. restrict your personal autonomy and/or access to goods and services)." When people disobey that system and disregard the threat of implied violence, it will always resort to employing overt violence to maintain their enforcement of their authority through the institution that is known as the police. This is why we say ACAB.

It just means workers need to be prepared for it so they can stand their ground and exert their own authority, even by engaging in their own acts of violence if necessary. All authority must enforce its control for it to be considered legitimate afterall.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Fair enough.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

What now? Who's kidnapping who?

[-] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago

What do you think "warrentless arrests" means?

[-] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago

The government says constitutional rights will be suspended for the next five days in the north-western Bocas del Toro province.

The measure restricts freedom of movement and allows the police to make arrests without a warrant.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

I see no barrier here

[-] [email protected] 50 points 3 days ago

Chiquita wanted to save a few bucks. Chiquita is willing to let everyone living in the area suffer, go broke, go homeless, and starve. That is a sacrifice Chiquita knew it would make to save a few bucks on labor.

[-] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago

Chiquita Executives:

[-] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago

Couldn't be more proud of every one of those workers. Take back what is yours, boys!

Fuck the Panama State for, as expected, employing authoritarian violence against workers standing up to oppression from a soulless corporate entity.

Goes to show who the state really cares about. It isn't the people.

[-] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago

"In the face of the disruption of order and acts of systematic violence, the state will enforce its constitutional mandate to guarantee peace," said Juan Carlos Orillac, minister of the presidency.

It is telling that the only direct quote in the article comes from the side of the state, not from the side of the workers.

Journalists, do a better job. Report on people's view, not company's point of view of things.

[-] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago

The government says constitutional rights will be suspended for the next five days

Please don't give the US any ideas...

[-] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Three decades later...

this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2025

170 points (100.0% liked)

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