Corona and Democracy - Panama

Information on COVID-19 measures and democracy

   22 March:

• Panama completely stops its international commercial air traffic, initially for 30 days.
• Entry by sea is currently not possible as the passenger ship service from abroad to Panama has been suspended.

   25 March:

• indefinite curfew: The Panamanians are allowed to leave the house for shopping every day for two preassigned hours, depending on the final number of their identity card. If a couple's identity card numbers matched, they were allowed to do so together.

   1 April:

• A gender-specific measure in the fight against the coronavirus is put into force. Until the end of April, women are only allowed to leave the house for 2 hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to shop in the supermarket, go to a pharmacy or do banking. Men are allowed to leave the house on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Sundays, the population is not allowed to leave the house at all. The official reason given was that too many people had disregarded the previous restrictions. People over-60 are also affected by the new rule. Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the streets and supermarkets continue to belong exclusively to them - but without mixing the sexes.

12 May:

• Panama announced plans to reopen the economy, allowing people to go to work again

27 May:

• From 1 June, the restrictions on economic activities will be eased

7 June:

• Some regulations were reimposed in the provinces with the highest incidence of coronavirus, including the capital city and Paname Oeste

17 June:

• Panama extends suspension of international flights due to coronavirus

18 July:

• Panama extends suspension of international flights by a moth due to coronavirus

22 July:

• Panama announces further economic re-opening from 27 July

• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-panama/panama-to-relax-coronavirus-measures-in-second-stage-of-re-opening-
• https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-panama/panama-to-start-reopening-economy-as-coronavirus-infection-rates-fall-idUSL8N2CU0C5
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-panama/panama-reinstates-some-curbs-on-people-movement-to-fight-coronavirus-idUSKBN23E00Z
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-panama-flights/panama-extends-suspension-of-international-flights-due-to-coronavirus-idUSKBN23O2VU
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-panama/panama-extends-suspension-of-international-flights-by-a-month-due-to-coronavirus-idUSKBN24J05W

• It is reported that some elections or referenda on regional or municipal level are postponed due to the fact that it is not possible to campaign.
• It is reported that some parliaments on municipal level have stopped to meet due to not being able to keep the distance rule.

• Venus Vejada, chairwoman of an organization that fights for the rights of transsexuals is appalled: "Women filmed some of my transsexual friends when they were in the supermarket and they said, 'this is not your day, why come out if you are men'. (https://www.stern.de/gesundheit/coronavirus--panama-verhaengt-ausgangssperre-nach-geschlecht-getrennt-9210204.html)

   End of March:

• the conservative President Laurentino Cortizo issued a decree to implement the so-called "ley seca". The law prohibits the consumption, sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. According to the authorities, they wanted to avoid that Panamanians gather in their own four walls for drinking together and thus spread the virus. However, cunning citizens apparently beat them to it: because a rumor about the planned measure had been circulating days before the decree, media reports indicate that large purchases of alcohol were made.

12 May:

• The government called for police to not be discriminatory of LGBTQ+ people amid the gender-based coronavirus lockdown

• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-panama-trfn/panama-tells-police-to-be-fair-on-trans-people-in-gender-based-lockdowns-idUSKBN22O2P3

   13 March:

• The government declares the state of emergency. The move frees US$50 million for a period of 180 days to purchase goods and services to combat COVID-19.[6]

• 25 March: https://www.focus.de/finanzen/boerse/wirtschaftsticker/virus-panama-verhaengt-wegen-coronavirus-ausgangssperre_id_11810439.html+
• 3 April: https://www.stern.de/gesundheit/coronavirus--panama-verhaengt-ausgangssperre-nach-geschlecht-getrennt-9210204.html
• 7 April: https://www.nzz.ch/international/panama-geschlechtertrennung-gegen-corona-ld.1550586