The American actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio supported on Saturday the fight of Panamanians against the operation of a large copper mine, the epicenter of a national crisis that has cost the lives of four people and is leaving million-dollar losses in the country.
The Hollywood star republished on his Instagram account a publication from the Re: Wild organization, which shows a video titled 'Panama Te Quiero Verde, Shut down the mega-mine', by Duletvindigena and Waguafilms.
"The people of Panama are uniting to defend nature, asking the country's Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional a controversial mining project in the protected Bosque Donoso jungle," indicates Duletvindigena, which defines itself as a "social network where experiences are shared." of the Indigenous Peoples" and Waguafilms that generates "Audiovisual production in indigenous territories of Panama."
The concession area, the organizations continue, "is located in the heart of the largest biological corridor in Mesoamerica," and "mining activity would have destructive impacts on the surrounding ecosystems, species, and people."
"A global spotlight can help Panamanians win a critical victory for biodiversity and can pave the way to a more sustainable future," he adds, and asks to sign "the petition to stop the mining project in Panama on #linkinbio ".
The Panamanian Supreme Court announced that on November 24 the plenary session of nine magistrates will establish a permanent session to rule as soon as possible on two unconstitutionality appeals against the law contract that it renewed, on October 20 for 20 extendable years, the concession to the company Minera Panamá, a subsidiary of the Canadian company First Quantum Minerals.
Minera Panamá operates the Cobre Panamá mine, the largest open pit mine in Central America with an investment of $10 billion, according to the company, and since 2019 it has exported minerals, especially to the Chinese market.
The mining company denies that its operation damages the environment, while the Government of President Laurentino Cortizo assures that the new contract guarantees environmental surveillance and multiplies income to the treasury by 10, with an annual payment of $375 million compared to the previous contract. , which was unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2017.
The express approval of the contract law by Parliament and the Executive provoked the largest public demonstrations in decades in Panama, which were punctuated by vandalism by people identified as infiltrators, while the Police were accused of excessive use of force against the protesters.
The unions and indigenous groups do not support the judicial process and insist that the contract law be repealed by Parliament, which is why they maintain blockades on the roads that have already cost the lives of 4 people and at least $1.7 billion in losses to the economy, according to employers.
Reuters | November 17, 2023 |
Port of Panama. Stock image.
A ship with supplies for Canadian miner First Quantum’s unit in Panama was unable to dock as local boats blocked off access to the key port, the company said in a statement to Reuters on Friday.
Protests have in recent weeks escalated against the miner’s contract for a major copper mine operated by the company’s local unit, known as Minera Panama.
The ship in question has remained for several days in Panamanian waters without being able to reach the Punta Rincon port due to protests, but on Thursday the captain was forced to call the authorities because the ship needed to dock urgently, the company said.
“The illegal actions carried out by small vessels in the port of Punta Rincon have affected the delivery of supplies that are required by Minera Panama, including for energy generation,” the company said.
The company said “the ship fully complies with all international safety regulations and its crew is safe.”
Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (Senan) has identified the ship as the coal-carrying “CSL Tarantau.”
On Thursday, the ship attempted an emergency docking, but the captain aborted the attempt to avoid an accident, Senan said, without providing details on the emergency.
Earlier this week, First Quantum reported that the protests blocking the port had reduced ore processing at its Cobre Panama mine, the first sign that the mine’s output was at risk.
On Thursday, the union for Minera Panama said it reached agreements with the company to ensure worker pay as protests kept some workers from reaching their jobs.
The protests began after the Panamanian government and First Quantum signed a new contract on Oct. 20 for Cobre Panama, which contributes 1% to global copper production and 5% to Panama’s gross domestic product.
The demonstrators say the new terms are too generous to First Quantum and allege corrupt practices in its approval. The company has denied the allegations.
(By Eli Moreno and Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Kylie Madry)
Panama’s supreme court to deliberate on First Quantum mine contract next week
Bloomberg News | November 17, 2023 |
Panama City. Stock image.
Panama’s supreme court magistrates will enter deliberations on Nov. 24 to rule on constitutional challenges to a copper mine contract, the court’s secretary general Manuel Jose Calvo Castillo said in a statement.
Magistrates will consider the first two constitutional challenges to the contract with Canada’s First Quantum Minerals Ltd “in a permanent session, until we issue a ruling in the least amount of time possible,” Calvo Castillo said.
Public arguments for both cases are set to conclude on Nov. 23 and issuing a ruling is a priority for the court, he said.
First Quantum’s local unit Minera Panama said Thursday it paid $567 million in taxes and royalties to the government, covering the period between Dec. 2021 and Oct. 2023. Protests against the mine have continued since its contract was extended in October, and some groups have called for a national strike on Monday.
Anti-mining roadblocks and violent street protests over the past month have caused $1.7 billion in losses to business, the country’s National Council of Private Enterprise said this week.
(By Michael McDonald)
Reuters | November 16, 2023 |
Cobre Panama mine is First Quantum Minerals’ largest copper operation.
The union for Canadian miner First Quantum’s unit in Panama said on Thursday that it reached an agreement with the company to guarantee salaries as protests and blockades against the miner prevent them from working.
Protests have raged for weeks against First Quantum’s contract for a $10 billion copper mine, with some protests blocking access to the mine.
The blockades “put at risk the daily bread of some 7,000 workers who are also Panamanians who have not been able to return to our posts to make a living in a dignified way,” the union said in a statement.
“We have signed agreements with the company to guarantee salary for the workers,” the statement added.
First Quantum’s local unit, Minera Panama, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
(By Valentine Hilaire and Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Isabel Woodford)
Why are people in Panama protesting over
Canada’s First Quantum Minerals?
, BNN Bloomberg
Protests have broken out in the Central American nation of Panama, and a contract with a Canadian company – First Quantum Minerals – is at the centre of the unrest.
Here is a look at how we got here.
WHAT IS FIRST QUANTUM? WHAT IS ITS PRESENCE IN PANAMA?
First Quantum is a Canadian copper company that operates globally, with offices in Toronto and Vancouver. The company says it operates long-life mines in several countries. It is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
First Quantum’s Panama presence includes its newest operation, the Cobre Panama mine, considered its most lucrative asset. The company describes this mine as one of the largest new copper mines opened globally over the past decade, with three billion tons of “proven and probable” copper reserves. Commercial production started in 2019.
In November 2017, First Quantum increased its ownership interest in the Panamanian company that holds the Cobre Panama concession, Minera Panamá S.A., to 90 per cent.
WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE PROTESTS IN PANAMA?
First Quantum reduced operations at its flagship copper mine in Panama on Monday as a result of protests and local opposition, the company said, including a blockade of small boats at its port that impacted delivery of key supplies.
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Panama in the last three weeks over a government decision to extend First Quantum’s mining license.
Panama’s president, Laurentino Cortizo, changed his position to oppose the project late last month, saying a referendum would be held, Bloomberg News reported.
The proposed referendum, as well as a push for the country’s congress to repeal the contract, have been set aside, and Panama’s government has said it will wait for the country’s Supreme Court rule on whether to end the agreement. Public arguments finish next week for two court cases relating to the Cobre Panama contract and a ruling from the Supreme Court could occur any time after that.
The protests stem from a 20-year extension to First Quantum’s assets. Panama’s government also received a larger share of revenue, according to Bloomberg News.
Environmentalists and student groups began blocking highways in October in opposition to the mining contract extension. The protests have seen clashes with police and the unrest has resulted in rising food prices in the capital city, Panama City, as farms were cut off.
The Associated Press reported last week that two people had died while participating in the third week of protests.
WHY ARE PEOPLE PROTESTING THE MINING CONTRACT?
Demonstrators have demanded the Panamanian government annul its contract that allows First Quantum to continue operation of its open-pit copper mine in a biodiverse jungle area.
Indigenous groups have said the mine threatens the area's delicate ecosystem.
Panama’s government, meanwhile, has said the mine is an important source of employment.
HOW HAS THE COMPANY BEEN AFFECTED?
Since Cortizo changed his posture on First Quantum’s operations in late October, the company has lost over 40 per cent of its value, according to reporting by Bloomberg News.
First Quantum said in a press release Monday that it has reduced operations at its Cobre mine by “ramping down one ore processing train while two remain operational.”
The company said the disruption was due to an “illegal blockade.”
Investment expert Lyle Stein, president of Forvest Global Wealth Management, said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg on Monday that the situation shows how problems can arise when large amounts of capital are committed to smaller areas.
“Once it's all spent, you really are at the mercy of governments and now the populations that surround the mine. It is a big risk in mining investment, it's a big risk in global investment anywhere,” he said. “Diversification is big and in the case of First Quantum, Cobra Panama is a very big asset relative to its entire operation.”
With files from the Canadian Press, the Associated Press and Bloomberg News
Coalition joins Panamanians across the country in urging Supreme Court to reject Central America’s largest open-pit copper mine
For immediate release, November 17, 2023
Photos (from top left, clockwise): Protests in Panama (photo by @enlayesk507); harpy eagle (photo by Greg Homel, Natural Elements Productions); Donoso Protected Area (photo by TV Indígena and Wagua Films); Gemini’s dart frog (photo by Jaime Culebras, Photo Wildlife Tours).
Download photos and video
Lindsay Renick Mayer
lrenickmayer@rewild.org
Devin Murphy
dmurphy@rewild.org
On November 24, Panama’s Supreme Court will decide the future of an open-pit mine bigger than Manhattan that continues to endanger the rights, health and livelihoods of local communities; threatens an irreplaceable place that is critical for biodiversity and climate; and has been the focus of the historic country-wide protests since mid-October.
A group of international and local conservation organizations and activists today joins the overwhelming majority of the country in opposing the 50-square-mile (13,000 hectare) copper, gold, silver and molybdenum mine, which is operated by Minera Panamá, a subsidiary of Canadian company First Quantum Minerals. Together the National Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples of Panama (COONAPIP), Audubon de Panamá, ADOPTA Bosque Panamá, Panamá Sostenible, Centro de Incidencia Ambiental (CIAM Panama), Re:wild, the Amphibian Survival Alliance, Synchronicity Earth, WWF, American Bird Conservancy, the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, and BirdLife International join Panama’s local and Indigenous communities in urging the Supreme Court to follow the law and declare the new contract with Minera Panamá unconstitutional.
“When all this nature is contaminated, we all die,” said Rengifo Navas Revilla (who goes by Sagla Dummad), secretary of COONAPIP and a leader in Panama’s Guna Indigenous community. “Even the planet itself, even Mother Earth herself, dies. This is the principle that has been instilled in us and that is why we continue to fight. This is why we Indigenous peoples are asking the Supreme Court to declare this law unconstitutional.”
The Minera Panamá project is located in the province of Colón, in the Donoso Protected Area, which is within the globally important Golfo de los Mosquitos Forests Key Biodiversity Area. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are sites critical to the global persistence of biodiversity and the health of the planet. The Panamanian government is bound by law to safeguard protected areas like Donoso. Panama’s Congress and President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen recently awarded a new contract to Minera Panamá to continue its operations after a first Supreme Court decision declared the previous contract violated the constitution.
More than 1,000 species of wildlife live in the Donoso Protected Area, many of which are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This includes the great green macaw, Baird’s tapir, Central American spider monkey, jaguar, harpy eagle (Panama’s national bird), horned marsupial frog, and the critically endangered Gemini’s dart frog, a species only described in 2014 and whose entire known habitat is in the Donoso Protected Area, near the mining project. Because of this species, the Golfo de los Mosquitos Forests KBA is also recognized as an Alliance for Zero Extinction site, the most irreplaceable subset of Key Biodiversity Areas. A small group of Gemini’s dart frogs were first brought into a conservation breeding program in 2014, but there have been no scientific records of the species since 2018.
“Unfortunately, after its last assessment in 2018, five years of continual mining operations have taken place so close to the last-known remaining population of this species, therefore, we aren’t sure how many--if any--individuals are left and urgently need to assess the status of the frog in the wild,” said Gina Della Togna, executive director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance. “We call upon all national and international stakeholders to come together to find sustainable solutions that prioritize the protection of the Gemini’s dart frog and this invaluable ecosystem.”
The mine is also located in the heart of the Panama Atlantic Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which connects wildlife habitat in seven countries of Central America to southern Mexico. Ecological corridors are critical for animals to be able to move to find food, habitat and mates. A road that was built for the mine crosses the corridor, disrupting the connectivity of forests in the region. More than 11.6 square miles (3,000 hectares) of forest have already been destroyed for the construction and operation of the mine.
“The area to be destroyed by this mining contract is one of the most biodiverse and least-known rainforests in all of Panama,” said Guido Berguido, a Panamanian biologist and executive director of Adopta Bosque Panamá. “Just this year a new species in the Brazilnut family (Eschweilera magnifica) was described from the mine site, and other species of plants and animals are being described as we speak. Our greatest fear is that, with current deforestation and the projected expansion of the mining operation, some wildlife species may go extinct before they are even discovered.”
According to the science-based organization, Science in Panama, open-pit mining can generate both significant air pollution that can cause severe respiratory illnesses in people, and waste rock that contains heavy metals that are washed away and can contaminate nearby waters. When the water polluted with heavy metals is consumed, it can result in neurological damage, cancer and other health challenges. Mines also release 1.4 times more particulate matter into nearby communities compared to non-mining sites. Particulate matter is especially damaging to the immature lungs of children and can result in death.
The original concession for the mine was granted in 1997 and went through two previous owners before First Quantum Minerals took over in 2013, inheriting the original contract. In 2009, two lawsuits were filed over the constitutionality of the original contract. In 2017, Panama’s Supreme Court ruled that the original concession was unconstitutional in part because it was granted without the proper bidding process in place.
Despite the ruling, the company began exporting copper in 2019. First Quantum negotiated a new contract to continue operations and add an additional 15.4 square miles (4,000 hectares) to the size of the project, which Congress approved and President Cortizo signed into contract-law on Oct. 20, 2023, which is when the protests across the country escalated.
Now all eyes are on the Supreme Court, which has received nine lawsuits around the constitutionality of the contract. Its decision could quash the contract. The court, which publicly assigned top priority to this case, has said that it will announce its decision about the first cases on Nov. 24, one day after the 10-day period for interested parties to submit comments closes.
Congress and the president approved the contract-law a little more than one year after Panama’s National Assembly and President Cortizo signed legislation granting nature “the right to exist, persist and regenerate its life cycles.” According to the law, which went into effect earlier this year, Panama’s parliament must consider the impact of its policies on nature.
“Panama is an example of the growing desire of Mesoamerican peoples to protect biodiversity and develop sustainable economic alternatives that move away from extractive industry and deforestation,” said Esteban Brenes-Mora, Re:wild senior Mesoamerica associate. “The people of Panama see the value of nature and are standing up for their rights and the rights of their wildlife and wildlands. Now we hope the Supreme Court judges will do the same and protect an ecosystem that is critical for people, wildlife and a stable climate.”
Additional quotes
Raisa Banfield, Panamanian environmental activist
"Panama wakes up after 26 years of an inflicted unconstitutional mega-mining contract. Environmental organizations and legal experts have been voicing their concerns and raising awareness about the damages of open-pit metal mining for more than 15 years. The recent government imposition raises concerns, especially among young people and the resistance of our Indigenous brothers and sisters. The calls ‘Panama Worth More Without Mining’ and ‘Panama Is Not For Sale’ have united the Panamanian people to defend our home.”
Rosabel Miró, executive director, Sociedad Audubon de Panamá
“The harpy eagle, our national bird, and the bare-necked umbrellabird, a local altitudinal migrant, are found in the Golfo de los Mosquitos Forests KBA and are huge draws for avitourism. Several other birds in this area, in addition to these two, are listed as vulnerable or endangered species. These forests are also important stopover sites for many migratory birds such as Canada warblers. Mining is not the best use of this land. Developing birding and nature- based tourism, an industry that respects both the environment and the people of Panama, is what we recommend and support.”
Abel Batista, Panamanian herpetologist who was part of the team that discovered Gemini’s dart frog in 2010
“Gemini’s dart frog is a symbol of the unique value of what we are losing in Panama because of this mine. Our leaders cannot be passive about protecting this species and all of the others that depend on the Panama Atlantic Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.”
Amaël Borzée, co-chair of the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, and professor at the Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University
“Given the extensive evidence of amphibians being the most threatened vertebrates on Earth and their benefits to humanity, it is critical that we safeguard their habitat and that we do everything possible to prevent the extinction of even one additional amphibian species.”
Amy Upgren, director of international programs, American Bird Conservancy
“As a Key Biodiversity Area and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site, this globally recognized area is also important for the survival of the great green Macaw, a rapidly declining bird species with a population estimate of a few thousand individuals. We support the efforts of so many Panamanians striving to cancel the mining contract to safeguard the rights, health, and livelihoods of local and Indigenous communities along with the preservation of this significant ecosystem.”
Joana Abrego, legal manager, Centro de Incidencia Ambiental / Environmental Advocacy Center
“It is time for the Supreme Court to not only defend nature and local communities, but also to uphold its place as a counterweight to the Executive and Legislative branches. It is imperative that the rule of law be restored so we can focus on how to face local and global environmental crises, finally implementing not only in word, but in action, the laws that are passed in favor of the environment. Panamanian authorities can no longer remain as green and blue leaders to the international community and as constant defenders of ‘economic growth’ over environmental protection at the national level.”
Re:wild
Re:wild protects and restores the wild. We have a singular and powerful focus: the wild as the most effective solution to the interconnected climate, biodiversity and human wellbeing crises. Founded by a group of renowned conservation scientists together with Leonardo DiCaprio, Re:wild is a force multiplier that brings together Indigenous peoples, local communities, influential leaders, nongovernmental organizations, governments, companies and the public to protect and rewild at the scale and speed we need. Learn more at rewild.org.
National Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples of Panama (COONAPIP)
The National Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples of Panama (COONAPIP) is an organisation made up of the indigenous peoples of Panama and led by their traditional authorities.
ADOPTA BOSQUE
Asociación Adopta el Bosque Panamá (Adopt a Panama Rainforest) is a Panamanian nonprofit charity organization promoting conservation and sustainable use of Panama´s unique tropical ecosystems for the benefit of both People and Wildlife; through scientific research, environmental education, habitat acquisitions, and community participation. Social Media @AdoptaBosque
American Bird Conservancy
American Bird Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation. Find us on abcbirds.org, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ABCbirds).
Amphibian Survival Alliance
The Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA) is a global partnership dedicated to the conservation of amphibians and their habitats. Committed to a future where amphibians thrive in nature, ASA collaborates with a network of partners to develop and implement effective conservation actions. ASA focuses on six key priorities: community engagement and education, organizational excellence and sustainability, strengthening partnerships for greater impact, enhancing conservation outcomes, resource mobilization and fundraising, and policy advocacy and global influence. ASA aims to mitigate and prevent amphibian declines while fostering an informed and active community. For more information, visit amphibians.org.
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is the largest and oldest international alliance for the conservation of birds and their habitats, with 101 years of longevity. It has 120 partners around the planet and 23 in the Americas who work with passion and commitment to protect birds, biodiversity, their habitats, and people. BirdLife is recognized for its leadership in identifying and formulating Important Bird Areas and Key Biodiversity Areas (IBAs and KBAs, respectively). BirdLife's approach allows us to articulate strategic conservation and restoration actions based on science and community development that go beyond borders along the migratory bird routes. It has six regional offices (Quito, Brussels, Amman, Nairobi, Singapore, and Suva) and a global office in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Join the flock and learn more at www.birdlife.org.
Centro de Incidencia Ambiental de Panamá / Environmental Advocacy Center of Panama
Our center was founded in 2007 by Panamanian civil society to address legal actions of public interest, including taking cases to the Supreme Court, in search of environmental justice. We defend the human right to a healthy environment, we focus on strategic litigation, environmental advocacy and promoting citizen participation.
We provide legal assistance - free of charge - to the most vulnerable communities due to environmental impacts. www.ciampanama.org @ciampanama in social media platforms.
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group
The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group isp is a network of professionals providing the science supporting the conservation of amphibians, locally and globally. Given the threats to the Key Biodiversity Area and Alliance for Zero Extinction site, and the resulting threats to the Critically Endangered Gemini’s dart frog (Andinobates geminisae), the ASG recommend preserving the environment of all threatened species to prevent extinctions and mitigate biodiversity losses.
Sociedad Audubon de Panamá/Panama Audubon Society
Sociedad Audubon de Panamá is a membership-based conservation organization founded in 1968 that promotes active and responsible participation of citizens in the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in Panama. Its mission is to stimulate appreciation for wildlife, with emphasis on birds, by encouraging their observation and study. The tools it uses are environmental education, research, advocacy and community participation For more information visit www.audubonpanama.org, and @audubonpanama on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Sustainable Panama
Sustainable Panama is a foundation created to articulate actors and sustainable actions to counteract bad practices, and thus promote environmental education and communication for the transformation of Panama.
Synchronicity Earth
Synchronicity Earth is a UK-based conservation charity that acts to address overlooked and underfunded conservation challenges for globally threatened species and ecosystems.
WWF
WWF is an independent conservation organisation, with over 30 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit www.panda.org/news for the latest news and media resources and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media.
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