The drivers’ union held Carlos Ordoñez, head of the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT), who organized the talks, responsible for the new protests, for not listening to their demand to freeze the high fuel prices and review the current fares.

In statements to the press, they also pointed out that they felt mocked and ignored by officials of the National Chamber of Transportation (Canatra), who do not represent them, when they were summoned at 10:00 local time for these talks, and at 14:00 hours they were forbidden to enter.

In this regard, they recalled that it was the governor of West Panama, Sindy Smith, who summoned them for this meeting with the ATTT.

“They are trying to negotiate behind the workers’ backs”, said a leader of the union in the capital district of Arraiján, who said that the only option left to them is to take to the streets again.

The demonstrators also pointed out their disagreement with the subsidy of eight million dollars approved by the Executive on March 30 for the purchase of fuel, and alleged that this does not solve the problem and entails excessive bureaucracy.

In this sense, they insist that the Executive freeze the prices of gasoline and diesel.

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