The Nicaraguan government announced Wednesday that it has granted political asylum to a leader of Panama’s main construction union, who was facing an arrest warrant for alleged money laundering amid growing protests against Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino. Erasmo Cerrud, defense secretary of Panama’s powerful construction union Suntracs, requested asylum after entering the Nicaraguan Embassy in Panama City, according to a statement from Nicaragua’s foreign ministry published on the pro-government site el19digital.
According to the statement, Cerrud sought asylum “on the grounds of political persecution related to his union activity.” After reviewing the case, Nicaragua “decided to grant” asylum and asked Panamanian authorities to “provide guarantees for his safe and humanitarian transfer” to Nicaraguan territory.
The Nicaraguan Embassy in Panama previously hosted former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, who was sheltered there for over a year before fleeing to Colombia when attempts to reach Managua failed. Cerrud is the second Suntracs leader to seek refuge in an embassy.
On May 21, union president Saúl Méndez requested asylum in the Bolivian Embassy after scaling its protective gate in the early morning hours. La Paz has yet to decide on Méndez’s request. He also faces an arrest warrant from Panama’s attorney general for alleged fraud and money laundering.
Two other Suntracs leaders, Genaro López and Jaime Caballero, remain in pretrial detention on similar charges. President Mulino’s government has faced two months of protests over a controversial pension reform, a military cooperation deal with the United States, and the possible reopening of a Canadian-owned open-pit copper mine.
Suntracs has been a driving force behind the demonstrations, some of which have turned violent. Mulino has labeled the union “a mafia.” In addition to the Suntracs leadership, banana workers’ union leader Francisco Smith was also detained Sunday on charges related to property damage during road blockades near the Costa Rica border. The strike, led by Chiquita Brands workers, lasted over a month and a half.
