Indigenous autonomy in times of pandemic. Panama, the Gunayala region and COVID-19

ABSTRACT

In the context of this dossier dedicated to the analysis of the responses that indigenous peoples are giving, from the exercise of their self-determination, to survive the pandemic, this article focuses on analyzing the experience of the Guna people of Panama. First, it presents the actions carried out by the Guna authorities within the framework of the collective rights they have as part of an indigenous comarca. It then contextualizes –historically and ontologically– the measures taken to lock down the region and place it in quarantine during the first days of the pandemic. Thirdly, it analyzes the territorial control and management of migratory flows between the city and the indigenous communities exercised by both regional and state political authorities in Gunayala. Finally, it reflects on the limits of the policies of recognition and the value of interculturality in today's Panama. © 2020 Universitat Rovira i Virgili. All rights reserved.