Panama and Mexico public workers protest over unpaid benefits

In Panama, reservists of the Public Force marched along the Inter-American Highway in Chiriquí, demanding that the 2027 state budget allocate more than $30 million to cover overdue payments. Spokesperson Reyes Colón said many reservists are elderly or terminally ill and some have already died while awaiting the funds. The protest was coordinated with groups in Azuero and Bocas del Toro, and the reservists warned they would remain on alert until the government responds.

In Mexico’s Nayarit state, employees of the state government and members of the State and Municipal Service Workers Union (SUTSEM) faced criminal charges after demanding pension contributions and other benefits. The authorities opened a case alleging attacks on communication routes, collusion among public servants and “apology of crime,” leading to salary cuts, job loss and stigmatization. Among those prosecuted is Luz Adriana Rodríguez Rodríguez, a state prosecutor and union representative, who says she was targeted for supporting the protests.