The members of teachers' unions who were negotiating with educational authorities in Santiago de Veraguas broke off the dialogue on Thursday afternoon and left the table chaired by the Minister of Education, Maruja Gorday de Villalobos.

The Minister said that the table is still open to try to resume the dialogue again.

“We are significantly concerned that they have left the table and decreed an indefinite strike. We are once again sacrificing Panamanian students,” she said.

Gorday de Villalobos added that children's rights cannot be violated and this will impact their education.

The representatives of the teachers' associations said that the delegation sent by the government did not present any type of proposal.

Earlier, the teachers had warned that if the price of fuel is not frozen, they will get up from the table and continue with the indefinite strike measure .

The head of Education added that teachers would be told why the price of fuel cannot be frozen because if that is done, other subsidies would have to be eliminated.

Prior to the meeting, the minister indicated that the result of the learning recovery process continues to maintain alarming levels in terms of basic subjects, so, taking this into account, the idea is to be able to reach mediation in order to maintain dialogue, but with schools open.

"We are waiting for the different proposals from the sectors that are going to participate," said the minister.

The Minister of Security, Juan Manuel Pino, urged the teachers' unions to use dialogue as a way to resolve national problems and avoid confrontations.

"The solution to these problems is dialogue, no confrontation in the world ends well, there are always damages," he stressed.

In various parts of the country marches were held on Thursday, by teachers and different sectors that demand, among other things, the freezing of fuel prices reports TVN.