Panama’s Supreme Court declares 20-year contract for Canadian copper mine unconstitutional

By KATHIA MARTÍNEZ and JUAN ZAMORANO
Associated Press

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Panama’s Supreme Court has unanimously declared a 20-year concession for a Canadian copper mine that had sparked weeks of protests as unconstitutional. Opponents of the Cobre Panama mine argued it would damage a forested coastal area and threaten water supplies. The announcement of the nine-member court’s decision on Tuesday after four days of deliberations set off cheers among a crowd of people waiting outside. Minera Panama, the local subsidiary of Canada’s First Quantum Minerals, which operates the mine in central Panama, acknowledged the court’s decision but said it needed more details to comment further. The mine employs thousands and accounts for 3% of Panama’s gross domestic product.