The group’s spokesperson, Eduardo Gil, rememembered that the aggression 36 years ago left hundreds of civilian victims, devastated communities, and profound social and institutional scars that still mark the collective memory.

Gil, who is also the secretary general of the Trade Union Convergence, expressed that the Panamanian people must always remember, because this type of military aggression undermined all institutions, destroyed families, and divided entire communities.

This demonstration is also an act of protest and historical vindication, given that the invasion profoundly affected relations between Panama and the United States, he stated.

Meanwhile, at the official ceremonies commemorating the date at Jardin de Paz cemetery in Panama City, where the remains of many of the victims rest, the Archbishop of Panama, Jose Domingo Ulloa, stated that it is a date etched with pain in the nation’s memory: December 20, 1989, when Panama was wounded to its very core.

“That wound continues to challenge the national conscience and demands truth, memory, and justice,” he expressed.

The leader of the Catholic Church emphasized that honoring the fallen is not an act of resentment, but a patriotic duty.

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