A high-level international mission brings a clear and powerful message to Panama this week: “Union organising is not a crime.” The delegation, led by Ambet Yuson, General Secretary of Building and Wood Workers International BWI, and the French Member of the European Parliament Marina Mesure, aimed to denounce serious violations of trade union rights faced by the National Union of Construction Workers (SUNTRACS).

The mission took place from July 22 to 24 and included meetings with trade union organizations, government authorities, and human rights bodies. At the center of concern is the increasing criminalization of protest and attempts to dissolve trade unions, especially SUNTRACS, one of the most emblematic and militant unions in the country.

Criminalization and Persecution Reported

During a meeting with the Public Ombudsman, Eduardo Leblanc González, the international delegation expressed concern over the closure of the union’s bank accounts, legal actions seeking its dissolution, and the criminal prosecution of its main leaders. Leblanc confirmed the rising social tensions, though he also noted institutional limitations on his office's ability to intervene directly. Nonetheless, he reaffirmed his commitment to defending human rights at all levels.

BWI spoke person, Ambet Yuson was unequivocal: “what is happening with SUNTRACS is a direct attack on free and democratic unionism. The right to organize cannot be treated as a crime. Union organizing is not a crime.”

These cases have raised serious concern among international observers, particularly regarding the situation of union leaders Genaro López and Jaime Caballero, who are currently undergoing legal proceedings. López, previously held in a maximum-security prison, is now under house arrest with electronic monitoring. Caballero remains imprisoned in the same prison center, a measure that unions have labeled as disproportionate and politically motivated. Meanwhile, SUNTRACS Secretary General and BWI Global Deputy President Saul Méndez Rodriguez was granted political asylum in Bolivia and was able to leave Panama on Saturday, July 19. SUNTRACS Negotiation Secretary Erasmo Cerrud also remains at the Nicaraguan Embassy in Panama, where he has requested asylum.

A Dissolution Request That Set Off Alarm Bells

The most tense moment of the visit occurred during a meeting with the Minister of Labor Mrs. Jackeline Muñoz, prompted by the government’s recent public request to dissolve SUNTRACS, filed just days before the arrival of the international delegation. The mission also raised this matter during its official discussions with labor authorities.

BWI delegates were clear in their stance

“That initiative is a direct threat to the right of association, as recognized in Panama’s Constitution and in the international conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO),” warned Yuson.

From the perspective of the visitors, such actions not only violate legal norms but also set a dangerous precedent for the broader Panamanian and global trade union movement.

An International Delegation United in Solidarity

The BWI mission included representatives from several countries: Pierre Cuppens (ACV, Belgium), Jean Pascal Francois (CGT, France), Raimundo Ribeiro Santos Filho (SINTRAPAV-PR, Brazil, and president of BWI’s Regional Committee for Latin America), Cesar Soberón (FTCCP, Peru), Pauline Saunier (parliamentary assistant at the European Parliament), along with Nilton Freitas and Ernesto Marval from BWI’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The international trade unionists group were also joined by Yamir Córdoba, José Víquez, and Hector Hurtado from the SUNTRACS National Executive Board.

The main objective was to support Panamanian trade unionism, demand respect for fundamental rights, and promote dialogue over confrontation. The mission also sought to: monitor detention conditions and the physical and psychological well-being of the affected union leaders; engage with state institutions to understand their positions amid the ongoing social crisis; and open communication channels with other unions, social actors, and political forces to help find a peaceful and respectful resolution to the conflict. According to the members, these goals were met, although much remains to be done.

A Warning and a Message of Solidarity

The situation in Panama has sparked massive protests in the capital and other parts of the country. Public discontent reflects growing concern over the erosion of democratic and union freedoms. These sentiments were echoed by hundreds of union and social movement representatives who attended the political solidarity rally organized by the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) in Panama City on Wednesday, July 23. BWI took part in the event and shared its actions through statements by Raimundo Ribeiro and Marina Mesure.

The international representatives summed up their support with a clear message: “What happens to one of us, happens to all of us. Solidarity is global, and today Panama is not alone,” expressed participants during the TUCA event.