Panama will not give up revising the free trade agreement with the US.

The Panamanian government will insist to the United States on the need for a review Free Trade Agreement (FTA)he assured the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo.

Cortizo spoke about the revision of the FTA for five sensitive products agreed in the Treaty, such as rice, meat, chicken, pork and dairy products, during the celebration ceremony Day of producers and experts in agricultural sciences.

He indicated that he had asked the President of the United States, Joe Biden, to postpone an invitation he had extended to him to meet on November 3, and said that this meeting would have among its goals the launch of a review of the FTA.

Cortizo Cohen congratulated all domestic producers and reminded of the importance of the role they played in the pandemic, since “there was never a shortage of food in the Republic of Panama”.

He said that during the period of the pandemic, producers received unconditional support from the state with the Panama Solidario Plan and the Agro Solidario program, which facilitates the financing of loans to small producers with zero percent interest, and that no other government in the region did this. .

Cortizo stated the elimination Panamanian Food Safety Authority (Aupsa), it is considered an “import highway” used to influence local producers and favor unscrupulous traders and the creation of the Panamanian Food Agency (APA).

Likewise, Law on State Agricultural and Food Policy (PADE), this leaves the rules for the sector for the next 20 years in defense of national producers.

“The PADE law must be defended, we cannot sit idly by and we must make sure that what was agreed in the legislation is fulfilled.” said the president.

In his speech, Minister of Agricultural Development (MIDA), Augusto Valderramahe called on producers to defend and value the achievements made in this administration.

Valderrama asked producers not to allow themselves to be confused by “wolves in sheep’s clothing” in this election campaign, because when they were in power they went bankrupt and destroyed producers through AUPSA.

“I’m asking you to be rational and not to stick your neck out so that they don’t break them again,” he added.