Panamanians Thursday staged a 24-hour strike to protest against the rising costs of living, which has paralyzed the public transportation system and affected hospital services.
The strikes in many sectors of society were widely supported, said Mario Almanza, a leader of the strike organized by the Coordinator of Fight for the Life and Dignity and Respect for the People.
The public transportation system in the east of the Panama City was paralyzed, which made it impossible for many to reach their working places.
Workers and students chanted slogans for salary rise and freezing of food prices in demonstrations in the Panama City.
Doctors, professors, indigenous associations and popular organizations also joined the strike to protest against the high cost of living.
Around 90 percent of the hospitals in Panama were affected by the strike, said doctor Fernando Castaneda, representative of the National Medical Negotiating Commission (Comenenal).
"The outpatient consultations in hospitals have been completely paralyzed, and only some special and hospitalized patients get their service," Castaneda told Xinhua.
At least 20 people were detained in Colon city, 80 km from the Panama City, where the strike turned violent, said a strike leader named Saul Mendez.
"Another report that we have is that a construction worker was hit at Colon and fell from a police vehicle in strange circumstances, and there are also detainees by riot police," Mendez said near the Legislative Assembly.
From the early morning, clashes took place between riot police and university students, who were trying to close streets in certain part of the city.
Source:Xinhua
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