What Happened
The minister of government, Dinoska Montalvo, said detainees from recent protests have been placed before the competent authorities as nationwide demonstrations continue over Law 462, the social security reforms, security agreements with the United States, mining, and other issues driving public anger.
Speaking after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Montalvo said arrests have occurred during the protests but did not give a total figure. She stressed that people are not detained because of their profession or union affiliation, but because of conduct during the demonstrations.
“You do not detain someone for being a teacher or a union member; you detain a person because at that moment they are affecting, vandalizing or disturbing social peace,” she said.
Detentions During the Protests
On Tuesday, 14 people were apprehended during a demonstration near Calle 50 in Panama City where educators were taking part. Montalvo said those detained have been presented before guarantee judges and justices of the peace.
She also argued that the actions taken by security forces respond to alleged crimes against safety, physical integrity and the rights of others. Her comments come as teacher-led protests remain one of the most visible expressions of opposition to the law.
Some of the detained protesters, through the Association of Professors of Panama, have said they did not commit any criminal act. The dispute underscores the sharp divide between the government’s public-order message and the teachers’ claims of peaceful protest.
Road Closures Across the Country
Montalvo said roadblocks have been set up intermittently in different parts of the country, including Veraguas, Bocas del Toro and Viguí, near the border with Chiriquí province. These closures have added pressure to transport routes and have widened the impact of the protests beyond the capital.
She added that security forces are required to maintain public order and, if force becomes necessary, they will apply the protocols needed to avoid harming people inside the protests.
What Else Was Discussed
Before the protests were addressed, the government announced a cooperation agreement with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration for an estimated $725,000. The funds will support a study for the remodeling and one-year maintenance of the former nunciature, which will house the new Casa del Adulto Mayor.
Montalvo also presented a 2024-2025 management report on the country’s prisons. She said the penitentiary system is currently operating with 60% overcrowding and that the ministry has begun reviewing cases to reduce pressure on the system. So far, 609 people deprived of liberty have been released, some under community work programs.
The protests add to a broader climate of social and political tension as different sectors challenge reforms and government decisions. With demonstrations continuing in multiple provinces, the issue remains a central test for the administration’s handling of public order and social unrest.