#Panamá 🇵🇦 #BDS_MigrationAlert: Panamanian Citizens and Foreign Residents Can Now Use the Digital ID Card
In an effort to modernize systems and streamline processes in Panama, the Electoral Tribunal...
January 9, 1964 remains a day of struggle, sacrifice, and national unity for Panamanians. It is one of those moments in which the history of Panama cannot be understood without placing youth at the center of the narrative. Young students were the main players in a national movement that forever transformed the relationship between Panama and the United States and paved the way toward reclaiming the Canal.
At that time, under the Chiari–Kennedy Agreement, the Panamanian flag was to fly alongside the United States flag at civilian sites within the Canal Zone; however, this was not being complied with. As a result, a group of students from the Instituto Nacional attempted to raise the Panamanian flag at Balboa High School, within the then Canal Zone. What began as a student protest escalated into an unequal confrontation that ended with the intervention of U.S. forces and clashes between civilians from both countries, leaving 21 Panamanians dead—many of them students—and hundreds injured.
Notwithstanding the above, thanks to the sacrifice of the martyrs, on December 31, 1999, Panama finally regained full control over its Canal.
January 9 was declared a National Day of Mourning by Law No. 13 of 1967, and later, through Law No. 118 of 2013, which replaced the prior law, it retained its status as a day of national mourning, was designated as the “Day of National Sovereignty,” and was expressly prohibited from being transferred to another date (bridge holiday).
January 9, popularly known as “Martyrs’ Day,” is established as a mandatory paid rest day due to national mourning under Article 46 of the Labor Code. If an employee works on that day, they must be compensated with a 150% surcharge over the ordinary workday, meaning two and a half times pay (ordinary wage plus surcharge), and must also be granted one compensatory day off.
If the compensatory rest day is not granted, an additional 50% surcharge over the ordinary workday must be paid.
