Massive Protests in Panama Over Copper Mine Contract

Written by Jose Aguilar | October 29, 2023

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Thousands of people in Panama are protesting the extension of the mining contract given to First Quantum Minerals, which is a Canadian company. This is the largest copper mine in Central America. The protests are taking place all over the country, including the Pan-American highway, which is an important highway that connects most capitals of the American continent. This contract was fast-tracked through Congress which has contributed to the public outcry against the mine. It is important to highlight how in 2021, the Supreme Court in Panama declared this contract unconstitutional. Panama had been negotiating the contract for the last two years, in an attempt to get better environmental benefits for the state.

Construction and teaching unions have also joined the protests, they state that the mine will harm the environment and will contaminate the vital sources of water, which affects a significant amount of the population. The Department of Education and the universities in Panama have also canceled classes for the week because of the protests. The Panamanian government states that the mine generates 8,000 direct jobs and 40,000 indirect ones, but the population states that this does not compare to the environmental damage caused by the mine.