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| Over 300 arrests in second day of Panama protests |
| Teresita Chavarria/AFP/Getty
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| Workers march towards the Legislature in
Panama City. |
Panama City / AFP
05/27/2005
Police arrested 217 construction workers and 119 students in a second
day of violent protests here against government plans to reform the
social security system, officials said Tuesday.
Justice Minister Hector Aleman cited property damage and risk to life
for the mass arrests as protesters decried the reform proposals --
which include raising the retirement age from 62 to 65 for men and
from 57 to 62 for women -- at the International Banking Center of
Panama.
Protesters had blocked Panama City’s 50th Street where dozens
of international and local banks are located, smashing store front
windows and damaging vehicles.
Police arrested 72 students Monday when the protests began. And at
least 16 people were injured earlier Tuesday, including one police
officer, authorities and protest organizers said.
Opponents of the social security reforms have announced a week of
picketing and marches.
A major demonstration is planned for Wednesday, as organizers threatened
to escalate the protest movement into a general strike.
Protesters are angry at a proposed reform of the state-run pension
system, which the government claims is four billion dollars in the
red and on track for total bankruptcy by 2012.
One proposed measure to raise the retirement age over the next 10
years has caused the greatest outcry. A CID-Gallup poll on Monday
found that 82 percent of Panamanians are against raising the retirement
age.
Meanwhile, private enterprises have branded the proposed reforms as
a “band-aid” solution to the social security system, and
have called for more radical changes, including establishing private
retirement accounts.
Opposition parties have called for a national dialogue to arrive at
a reform program that everybody can agree with. |
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