Banana giant Chiquita Brands has fired its workers in Panama who have been out on strike for more than three weeks as part of nationwide protests against reforms to the social security system, the company said Thursday. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino had said earlier Thursday that the strike was illegal and included some 5,000 workers. “Unfortunately, following the unjustified abandonment of work at our plantations and operations centers since April 28 and continuing today, (the company) has proceeded with the termination of all of our daily workers,” the company said in a statement.