Catholic environmentalists protest mining deal

Various groups have rejected the mining contract between the Panamanian State and Minera Panamá, which was approved by the National Assembly and sanctioned by President Cortizo on Friday, October 20.

In a statement shared by the Archdiocese of Panama, the Mesoamerican Ecological Ecclesial Network rejected the way in which the government and the Assembly expeditiously handled the approval of the mining contract, for the extraction of copper in Donoso, province of Colón.

“The different sectors of society have not been listened to as indicated by our regulations and international agreements such as the Escazú Agreement. The price that Panama is going to pay is too much, compared to the crumbs that we are going to receive,” the statement states.

The Catholic environmental network warns that this way of acting can generate unpredictable effects for the country’s institutions and its direct impact on the communities.

Likewise, they express their rejection of the violence with which the Police intervened in the middle of the protest last Thursday on the premises of the Assembly, in which bishops participated.

Teachers announce closures

On the other hand,  on Saturday the Chiriquí Educators Association announced that starting Monday they will protest in the streets against the mining contract and announced that they do not teach classes that day.

The union spokesmen reported that on Monday, starting at 8:00 am, they will gather in the city of David and then march to the Risacua sector where they will proceed to close the four lanes of the Inter-American highway.