Panama Strike: Price Gouging and Expired Goods Plague Bocas del Toro

Bocas del Toro, Panama faces a consumer crisis after a prolonged banana workers' strike. Acodeco, Panama's consumer protection agency, has reported widespread price gouging and the sale of expired products in the Changuinola district. "We've found everything from expired soaps to decomposing food and baby products," stated Rosalba de León, Acodeco administrator. Beef prices have skyrocketed to $8 a pound in some stores. Many shops have boarded up their windows and doors to protect themselves from potential unrest. However, roads have reopened as of today, offering a glimmer of hope for the community.