In those rallies, whose calls continue this Friday, the main demand is that the poorest and the jobless can receive the solidarity aid the government allots monthly, but it does not get to the people in time in many places in order to alleviate the harsh situation of families.

Among the most notable protests, the Panama-La Chorrera highway was closed for four hours on Thursday, causing a traffic jam on that busy road, while anti-riot forces cleared the road and detained several people carrying posters asking for food, including women who were forcibly handcuffed and loaded into patrol cars.

In parallel, health personnel from hospitals in several areas demand every day medical supplies, biosafety devices, late payments, solutions to collapse in healthcare centers and request to include new employees facing health workers’ fatigue.

This wave of discontent occurs when the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rise without apparent control. Some 29 deaths were reported on Thursday, totaling 1,209 since the crisis was detected on March 9, but July is being the deadliest month so far, for a 48% lethality rate.

Some 56,817 cases were reported in the last report, half of them were detected in July and although health workers managed to slightly reduce patients requiring intensive care units, the weak health system is on the verge of collapse, if before no new assistance facilities are opened.
Source: Prensa Latina

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