LatinNews Daily - 30 May 2022

*Panama’s government led by President Laurentino Cortizo and the Coalición por la Unidad de Colón (CUCO), which groups various unions in Panama’s Colón province, have announced an agreement which puts an end to a strike which has affected the province since 9 May. This was called by CUCO over demands that the government deliver on various promises announced in November 2021 related to infrastructure and construction projects as well as more general complaints over the high cost of living. Signed by Deputy Labour Minister Roger Tejada, Guillermo Salazar, director of the institute for development planning, a government entity, and CUCO general coordinator Román Macías, the agreement stipulates that the government will carry out various public works worth US$900m in the province, including the resumption of stalled works such as the construction of a new hospital, Manuel Amador Guerrero, and baseball stadium, Roberto Mariano Bula, the construction of an arts and culture centre Colegio Abel Bravo and expansion and overhaul of seven colleges. It also includes the pledge to carry out an employment programme ‘Capacítate para el empleo Colón’ with monetary support for those that begin and finish various training courses, an initiative to repair roads, ‘Asfaltando tu distrito’ as well as a national freeze on fuel prices for public transport – keeping it at US$3.95 per gallon which was announced on 27 May. The measure will last three months and cost the government US$100m.