The official, who traveled to Brazil with President Jose Raul Mulino, told the press that this visit will also serve to meet with the company’s owners and negotiate the reopening of operations in the Bocas del Toro province.

The day before, the Cabinet Council authorized Molto to make all necessary arrangements with the company and the relevant public entities, with the goal of facilitating the resumption of banana production in the western territory.

The resolution includes the authority to sign, on behalf of the Government, the agreements required to restart operations, as well as establish follow-up mechanisms to monitor and ensure the effective implementation of the commitments made.

The measure comes after the prolonged strike that led Chiquita Panama to begin the process of terminating the contracts of more than 7,000 workers and, subsequently, to notify the indefinite suspension of its operations in the districts of Changuinola and Almirante, citing force majeure and provisions of its contracts with the State.

Molto emphasized that, aware of the social and economic impact of the work stoppage, the Executive Branch is promoting efforts to reactivate operations, taking into account the company’s track record and its role in the region’s economic development.

The main objective of these negotiations, according to the minister, is to reach an agreement that will allow the company to “return to the country” and “start hiring people from Bocas del Toro province again.”

The goal is to ensure that jobs are provided to the local people, reactivating the local economy and strengthening banana exports, one of the country’s key products.

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