Anti mining demonstrations will continue today

PANAMA February 24. Planned mass demonstrations across the country including Panama City, will go ahead today in spite of moves by President Ricardo Martinelli.

The “watch my lips” statement of the president on the steps of the presidential palace on Tuesday, has no legal standing and was a political move to quell demonstrations say legal authorities.

Lawyers, indigenous peoples and environmentalists united on Wednesday to condemn Decree 30 which claims that there will be no no mining at Cerro Colorado until 2014, created to halt actions against the Law 8 which amended the Code of Mineral Resources.

Elijah Ruben Rodriguez, chairman of the Bar Association, said that the signing of the decree was an unknown concept of the legal hierarchy as other words, no decree can change the content or the spirit of the law.

Lawyer Juan de Dios Hernández said he will present a constitutional complaint against the decree, because it bears only the signature of the Minister of Trade and Industry.

Raisa Banfield, of Panama Sustainable interpreted the announcement of the signing of the decree as a joke, because it only seeks to quell the demonstrations.
Protests are planned in 13 parts of the country, starting at 9:00 am, including the crossing of San Felix towards which over 2000 Ngabe Bugle protestors began moving yesterday,
In the capital there will be a march at 4:00 p.m. starting at Parque Porras.