Members of the Victoriano Lorenzo Coordinating Committee reached the Presidency of the Republic to demand the immediate withdrawal of the Southern Command troops and the closure of military bases.

Protesters delivered a letter to the Foreign Ministry stating that the Panamax joint drills are detrimental to national sovereignty.

The letter also points out that the imposition of military bases on Panamanian soil endangers the Canal’s security and, consequently, the lives of all Panamanians, as they could be targets of attack by other countries with weapons of mass destruction.

Regarding the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Government and Washington in April, the Coordinating Committee states that it is an affront, a desecration, and a dishonor to national dignity and the blood generously shed by the martyrs.

The most recent maneuvers have generated concern in broad sectors of society, who question the transparency of the agreement and reject the Executive’s subservient stance in the face of the flagrant violation of the 1977 Neutrality Treaties.

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