28 Nov 2023 | 05:23 PM UTC
Panama: Activists likely to significantly decrease protest activity following Supreme Court ruling against mining contract as of Nov. 28 /update 9
Protest likely to significantly decrease across Panama as of Nov. 28 following Supreme Court ruling against mining contract.
Activists from several labor organizations, including the Sindicato Unico Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria de la Construccion y Similares (SUNTRACS), and various education and indigenous groups, will likely significantly decrease their protest activity across Panama as of Nov. 28 after the Supreme Court ruled that the mining contract between the Panamanian government and First Quantum Minerals was unconstitutional. The initial purpose of the action was to denounce the agreement and demand that it be overruled. Demonstrators have celebrated the Supreme Court's ruling in their favor.
Although civil unrest is highly likely to decrease, lingering transport and business disruptions are likely as highways begin to clear for traffic and freight shipping.
Although the government temporarily withdrew the First Quantum deal for modifications in early October, Congress eventually approved it on Oct. 20. This attracted a considerable backlash. Demonstrations to condemn the agreement had led to clashes, with hundreds of people being arrested and several being injured. In response to the growing unrest, President Laurentino Cortizo announced that, on Dec. 17, the government would hold a referendum to decide whether the contract would move forward.
However, activists remained unsatisfied and continued to demonstrate. On Nov. 1, Congress approved a debate on possibly overturning the contract but decided against it on Nov. 2. In an attempt to calm the protests, the president signed a moratorium into law on Nov. 3 that would indefinitely ban new mining contracts until the Supreme Court rules on the initial contract. On November 9, the Supreme Court indicated it would meet on Nov. 24 to determine a ruling on the contract. Authorities indicated that they arrested over 1,000 people during the protests and that four people have died as a result of the ongoing nationwide unrest.
