According to reports from Colon, Panama by Reuters, approximately 500 individuals gathered on Tuesday to demonstrate at First Quantum’s copper mine. Their objective was to put pressure on the Canadian miner and authorities to adhere to plans to close the site, particularly in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s declaration of its contract as unconstitutional.
Long before the November ruling by the Supreme Court on the contract to operate the profitable Cobre Panama mine, the site had essentially been shut down due to protesters obstructing access to the port that serves it.
The local unit of the Canadian miner expressed “deep concerns” last week after a union disclosed potential intentions to “invade” the Cobre Panama mine in the upcoming week. However, by noon on Tuesday, the peaceful protest had disbanded.
During the protest, many individuals waved Panamanian flags, while others displayed banners with the message: “Panama is worth more without mining.”
In the weeks following the court’s decision, First Quantum announced its pursuit of formal discussions with the Panamanian government to ensure the secure and organized closure of the facility. Despite this, the company still has equipment and workers present at the site.
Amongst the protesters on Tuesday, there were claims of achieving the “symbolic closure” of the mine.
“The people have spoken loud and clear: we want a Panama free of mining,” asserted 51-year-old teacher Fernando Abrego at the entrance to the mine, which remained closed and protected by private agents.
“The battle did not conclude with the ruling of unconstitutionality,” Abrego added.
Protesters have contended that the terms of the contract, originally agreed upon in October before being overruled, were excessively favorable for First Quantum. Additionally, they allege that corruption played a role in its approval, although the company refutes these claims.
The closure of the mine led to significant reductions in Panama’s economic growth projections for 2024. The Cobre Panama mine constituted approximately 5% of Panamanian GDP.
“We are here because we want to understand the plan that the government has for the mine’s closure. A considerable amount of time has passed, and there is still no clarity on what they are going to do,” expressed teacher leader Juan de Dios Camano.
(Reporting by Elida Moreno; Editing by Diego Ore, Isabel Woodford, and Marguerita Choy)
