International

More than 480 arrested during protests in Panama for Social Security reforms

More than 480 people were arrested this Wednesday in Panama during violent protests in rejection of a Social Security reform project, triggering clashes between the police and the demonstrators that left at least 16 injured.

The director of the National Police (PN) of Panama, Jaime Fernández, reported in a press conference that there are “more than 480 people detained”, after an “unprecedented escalation of violence” this morning, which left a balance of damage “to the national police and its resources” in the amount of “267,000 dollars”.

In addition to being injured, “16 units of the National Police”, two of which hit with blunt objects (blocks, screws and steel bars among others) thrown by the demonstrators from the top of a tower under construction of a public hospital for children, where they entrenched themselves.

The Single Union of Workers in the Construction and Similar Industry (Suntracs) blocked a section of the maritime avenue, one of the main arteries of Panama City, and other key points of the capital in rejection of the bill that reforms the Social Security Fund (CSS), under discussion in the Legislature.

Previously, the police director had pointed out, in statements to journalists, that “they have had to set up a special prison” because they are going to “judicialize” “all” the demonstrators, including the “union leaders”, within the framework of respect for due process, he said.

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The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, described it as “intolerable” that the work of the pediatric hospital is used as a “barricade of union terrorists to subvert public order” and asked for the action of the Prosecutor’s Office with “all the weight of the law.” After that, the Prosecutor’s Office initiated an “ex officio investigation” for these acts.

For his part, Saúl Méndez, the leader of Suntracs – the most powerful union in the country – said in a video broadcast by his official channels that his protest was “peaceful” and regretted that he was “repressed” in the area of the hospital under construction, which was “besieged”.

Student protests have also been reported in front of the University of Panama, which canceled classes for this Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Parliament discussed two bills (independent of each other) on the Social Security Fund of Panama, key to the economic future of that entity, submerged for years in an administrative and financial crisis, which could liquidate one of the two pension subsystems.

The deputies have already approved the first of them that authorizes the Executive the transfer of 91 million dollars as “extraordinary funds” to “partially reinforce the costs” of the retirements corresponding to this month of February, according to official information.

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And they discuss in the second of the three mandatory debates, another bill, broader and of greater importance, that reforms Panamanian Social Security after months of discussion by blocks in the parliamentary health commission in the face of the difficulties requested by the Panamanian president and other social sectors.

This bill is a proposal of the Executive made in consensus by dialogue tables with economic, trade union and social sectors. The original document included a three-year increase in the retirement age – up to 65 for men and 60 for women – and 3% of the employer’s quota, among others.

However, the deputies of the commission overturned the article that raised the retirement age, one of the points most rejected by the parliamentarians, unions and the population, and increased the annual contribution of the Executive to 1.4 billion dollars compared to the 1.2 billion dollars proposed by the Government.

The hemicycle, composed of 71 seats, will hold two rounds of discussions in this second phase with half an hour of pleading for each deputy, so the debate could last approximately two weeks, according to an official source told EFE.

This proposal to change Social Security has raised controversy in Panama with some demonstrations in the streets in recent months, a wide public debate and requests for specific modifications by private companies.

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International

Exclusive Tucson Neighborhood Shaken by Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of well-known U.S. journalist Savannah Guthrie, has shaken the exclusive Catalina Foothills neighborhood in northern Tucson, Arizona. For the past eleven days, the area has become the focus of an intensive investigation and constant media attention.

The 84-year-old woman was last seen on January 31, when she returned home after a family dinner. Since then, authorities have released few details about the suspected abduction.

“It is worrying that an elderly person could be the victim of a crime like this in her own home; we are a community of retirees,” Mario Ruiz, a resident who lives near the property, told EFE.

He explained that neighbors in the area tend to respect each other’s privacy, and many homes do not even have fences, surrounded only by the desert landscape about 110 kilometers from the Mexican border.

Support for the family is visible in an improvised altar set up outside Guthrie’s house. Flowers, candles and a message written on a stone — “Please pray, bring her home” — reflect the concern felt by the community.

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During a visit to Catalina Foothills on Wednesday, a strong presence of FBI agents could be seen patrolling nearby roads and neighborhoods in search of any clue that might help locate Guthrie.

Officers have been checking bushes, trash containers and surrounding areas near the residence, which is located in one of Tucson’s most exclusive districts, close to shopping centers, private golf courses and resorts.

International

Over 50 Civil Groups Urge House to Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

More than 50 civil society organizations, including Latino collectives and migrant advocacy groups, on Tuesday urged the U.S. House of Representatives to open impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whom they accuse of leading a migration policy that is “violent, reckless, and contrary to the Constitution.”

The request was submitted through a letter sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson and other legislative leaders. In the document, the organizations argue that Noem has encouraged repressive practices that have left multiple victims and have “intentionally undermined the mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).”

Among the signatories are Voto Latino, Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), Hispanic Federation, UnidosUS, and the Latino Victory Project. The groups emphasized that at least 187 lawmakers already support the impeachment initiative introduced in January by Representative Robin Kelly for alleged “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

The accusations include the alleged obstruction of congressional access to migrant detention centers and the excessive use of force, with at least 14 people shot since July 2025. They also cite three documented deaths, including those of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The organizations further criticized the detention of migrant children, pointing to the case of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, arrested in Minnesota last month, which sparked nationwide controversy.

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They also denounced that operations carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have resulted in due process violations, unlawful detentions of Indigenous citizens, and disregard for court orders. According to the signatories, Noem has “dismantled” civil rights protections within the DHS and has shown a lack of understanding of constitutional principles such as habeas corpus.

Central America

Guatemala to Phase Out Longstanding Medical Cooperation Agreement with Cuba

Guatemala’s government announced on Tuesday that it will end this year a cooperation agreement with Cuba that has brought doctors from the Caribbean nation to work in the Central American country.

Guatemala’s Health Ministry told EFE that the program, which has been in place for nearly three decades, will be phased out progressively throughout 2026.

According to the same source, there are currently 412 Cubans in Guatemala under the agreement, including 333 physicians.

Cuban medical brigades assigned to Guatemala have traditionally been deployed to various regions of the country to provide primary health care to local communities.

“The decision follows a technical assessment aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the national workforce and consolidating the public health system’s own capacities,” the Guatemalan ministry said.

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Earlier this week, lawmaker Sonia Gutiérrez, from the left-wing Winaq party, warned that the move “could be an inhumane act that threatens the health and lives of the country’s most vulnerable populations,” given the historic importance of Cuban doctors in providing medical care.

For that reason, the legislator summoned Health Ministry authorities to Congress, as permitted by law, to provide further details about the decision.

Former human rights ombudsman Jordán Rodas Andrade also weighed in on social media, recalling that “for 27 years Cuban doctors have been the backbone of health care in Guatemala’s most neglected areas,” and stressing that “ending this agreement is an act of ingratitude that leaves the most vulnerable unprotected.”

President Bernardo Arévalo’s government told EFE that, in order to guarantee continued care, it will implement a gradual replacement plan that includes hiring national personnel.