Presidential candidates presented several proposals in the Gymnasium Auditorium of the San Cristobal Episcopal Institute, in this capital, an emblematic site for the Afro-descendant social movement.

Some of their proposals were the creation of the National Reparations Commission so that the country may be part of the worldwide effort made by the States to attend damages and generational affectations.

They further advocated for greater support to the law that grants institutional character to the Development Plan of the Colon province, and the intention of turning the nation into a Cultural Hub of the Black Ethnic Group of the continent.

In that direction, presidential candidates pointed out the need to build up and install the International Multimodal Afro-Panamanian Center, a complex that will allow training, preserving and boosting the main assets; thus, the black ethnic group will contribute to the formation and integral progress of the intercultural identity.

Meanwhile, at least seven out of the eight presidential candidates committed themselves on Friday to pursue public policies by signing the 7th Women, Development and Equality Pact, which contains 64 initiatives elaborated by over 600 women from all over Panama.

The document could become a proposed Public Policy Agenda for Women for the five-year 2024-2029 term.

That includes an institutional legal framework, health, environment and sustainable development, culture, education and national identity, power and political participation, poverty and development, and minority groups (indigenous, Afro-descendants and the disabled).

Over three million citizens are eligible on May 5 to vote for Panama’s new president and vice president, 20 legislators to the Central American Parliament and 71 lawmakers to the National Assembly.

Panamanians will further elect 81 mayors, 701 township representatives and 11 councilpersons, all with their respective alternates, for the term from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029.

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