Leonardo DiCaprio calls for global spotlight on mining protests

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. – EFE News agency.