Since last Friday, the border territory with Costa Rica has been under a state of emergency decreed by the government.

Such a decision includes restrictions on constitutional guarantees, such as the suspension of internet and mobile phone services, which has sparked severe criticism from the public and international organizations.

Authorities such as the Minister of Security, Frank Abrego; and the director of the National Police, Jaime Fernandez, predict that this measure could be extended as part of Operation Omega—which began on June 14—to unblock roadblocks and also confront criminal groups vandalizing public institutions and unrelated to the protests against a pension regulation that has been going on for more than two months.

They also said that they have established an operational base at the Changuinola “Capitan Manuel Niño” International Airport for special forces to maintain control of this strategic area, most notable for tourism and banana production and export.

Changuinola was the area where the escalation of violence that the now-subsided protests degenerated into intensified the most, according to the report released by authorities on the results of the ninth day of the police operation.

According to reports, the Executive branch deployed 2,500 law enforcement officers for this operation.

For several analysts and grassroots organizations, Bocas del Toro is the most critical expression of the conflict in the country over the reform of Law 462 of the Social Security Fund, marked by an indefinite strike by public sector teachers’ unions since April 23, which has been joined by students, construction workers, and indigenous communities, among other sectors.

abo/jdt/jha/ga