00:00In Panama, social sectors protested the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who met
00:05with President Molino through the canal and signed a series of bilateral agreements.
00:10Our correspondent, Rekha Shandira Mani, has details.
00:17Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Panama on Wednesday to meet with his Panamanian
00:22counterpart, José Raúl Molino, at the Palacio de las Garzas.
00:27He also visited the Miraflores logs on the Panama Canal.
00:32This marks the first time an Israeli President has visited the Central American Isthmus.
00:38Panama and Israel share fundamental values, such as the defense of democracy and a vision
00:47of sustainable and inclusive development.
00:51Therefore, we can clearly state today that our relationship is evolving into a stronger
00:57partnership.
01:01But in the streets, with several protests taking place at different locations across
01:05the city, social movements condemn Herzog's presence, as this country has been carrying
01:10out a genocide against the Palestinians for several years.
01:16Today, Panama is hosting, for the first time, a president from the illegitimate and genocidal
01:23state of Israel.
01:26We cannot take this lightly.
01:28It only confirms the current Panamanian government's complicity in the genocide that has been taking
01:34place against the Palestinian people for over 70 years.
01:41We cannot fall for the president's views, which claim that just because his wife is one-quarter
01:45Jewish, the Panamanian government must maintain good relations with the state of Israel.
01:49I am not suggesting that we sever ties with Israel or engage in conflict with it.
01:54I am simply demanding that they put an end to the genocide in Palestine, stop attacking
01:57southern Lebanon, and respect Iran's sovereignty.
02:03Both governments plan to expand and strengthen the bilateral free trade agreement.
02:08They will also sign cooperation and advisory agreements on cyber security, medicine, agriculture,
02:13and water treatment.
02:16The latter issue is viewed with great suspicion by the public, which has long opposed efforts
02:23to privatize the service, raise rates, and allow transnational corporations to monopolize
02:28waters.
02:32What we see is that behind that policy lies a strategy to monopolize Latin America's water
02:38sources, not just Panama's.
02:42Because they've already signed a contract with Argentina, where Miele has ceded the water
02:46to them.
02:48And they're going after Chile's water and Paraguay's water.
02:53Which is why they're also coming here to try to monopolize our water.
03:01Mulino stated that this assistance will be provided on a government-to-government basis,
03:06without all the red tape and bureaucracy, he said.
03:08He also announced the Panamanian doctors will travel to Israel for training, while the Israeli
03:13side is interested in investing in Panama in areas such as logistics and tourism.
03:19The meeting concluded with the Panamanian government completely overlooking the genocidal actions
03:24of the current leadership of the Israeli government, its prime minister, and its armed forces.
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