In Panama, law enforcement deployed tear gas on Monday to disperse protesters who were burning tires and obstructing roads in opposition to a contract that permits a Canadian company to maintain its operations in Central America’s largest copper mine.
The protesters are expressing concerns about the potential environmental impacts of the mining operations conducted by First Quantum, one of the world’s largest copper extraction companies.
Following initial protests that began on Friday and continued throughout the weekend, demonstrators once again took to the streets on Monday in Panama City and various provinces. They displayed signs with messages such as “Protect our natural resources” and “Stop destroying our lands.”
In response to the protests, the government decided to suspend school for the day due to fears of potential riots. Traffic in Panama City was disrupted, and some metro stations had to be closed.
The police reported that 25 people were arrested during the protests.
The Cobre Panama mine, an open-pit mining operation, was inaugurated in 2019. It is located approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital and 20 kilometers from the Caribbean coast. The mine has the capacity to produce 300,000 tons of copper annually.
In 2021, Panama’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision declaring the original mining rights concession granted to the subsidiary Minera Panama until 2037 as unconstitutional. Subsequently, negotiations between the Panamanian government and First Quantum were revisited and concluded earlier this year. law enforcement deployed
Under the new contract, the company is obligated to pay the government a minimum of $375 million annually, which is ten times more than the previous agreement. This contract allows First Quantum to operate in Panama for 20 years, with the possibility of renewal for an additional 20 years.
However, opponents argue that the compensation is still inadequate, especially in light of potential environmental risks. Protesters are calling for the repeal of a law passed on Friday that formalized this agreement. They believe that the terms of the contract do not sufficiently address their concerns about environmental protection.