*Panama’s government led by President José Raúl Mulino and Chiquita Panamá, the local subsidiary of multinational banana company Chiquita Brands International, have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) whereby the banana company will restart operations in Panama’s Bocas del Toro province. Chiquita had ceased activity in Bocas del Toro and laid off 6,000 workers due to the strike earlier this year by banana workers amid more general protests over new reforms to the social security system, among other issues. According to a press release by Panama’s presidency, the MoU provides for around 3,000 jobs in the first phase of recovery and an additional 2,000 jobs in the second phase. The statement estimates that Chiquita will invest US$30m to reactivate production in 5,000 hectares of land with the aim of resuming operations in February 2026 at the latest. The MoU also establishes a technical committee to comprise representatives from the Panamanian government and the company to monitor the commitments made and ensure that they are met. The agreement was signed by Panama’s ministers of trade and industry, Julio Moltó, and agricultural development, Roberto Linares, on behalf of the Panamanian government and Chiquita Brands International’s president and CEO, Carlos López Flores.
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