W5 visits Panama as protests rage against Canadian-owned mine
W5 visited Panama as mass protests raged against a Canadian-owned mine that has now been ordered close.
Known as Cobre Panama, the massive copper mine has been the target of widespread demonstrations since October, when Panama's government signed a contract allowing it to operate for at least 20 more years.
"The Canadian government promotes itself as really aware of the environment," environmental biologist Guido Berguido told W5 at a protest. "We cannot believe that a Canadian company would do this to our national resources."
Owned by a subsidiary of Canada's First Quantum Minerals, the sprawling 13,000-hectare, open-pit mine is bordered by jungle about 120 kilometres west of the capital, Panama City, on the country's Atlantic coast.
Pointing to its alleged impact on the environment and water supplies, a broad coalition of Panamanians – including students, environmentalists, labour groups and indigenous communities – have protested for weeks, with police resorting to tear gas and rubber bullets as the country has ground to a halt.
"People already are feeling betrayed by all that is institutional in Panama," a photographer, who lost an eye as police fired at protesters, told W5. "It's not just the mining, many things are linked to corruption. People are tired of that."
Pointing to its alleged impact on the environment and water supplies, Panamanian students, environmentalists, labour groups and indigenous communities have protested for weeks (W5)
Protesters have also blockaded the mine's access to roads and port, hobbling its operations.
"We knew from the beginning that this was their weak point," a fisherman told W5 from a sea blockade. "We knew from the very first day that by doing our protests here, we were going to accomplish, and be successful."
In November, Panama's Supreme Court ruled that the government's concession with the company is unconstitutional. The agreement would have secured Panama at least US$375 million a year, which was more than 10 times the previous deal and the largest private investment in the country's history.
After defending the deal amid widespread opposition, Panama's government later announced that it would shut down the mine, although the process could take years.
"The government just wants to be rich and forget about us," a student protester told W5 from a barricaded university. "We don't get nothing."
The multibillion-dollar company plans to challenge the decision and is seeking arbitration to reinstate its contract or obtain damages. First Quantum says it generates thousands of jobs and contributes up to five per pent of Panama's GDP.
"First Quantum has invested in excess of US$10 billion to build a world-class mine, port and power station in Panama," the company said in a December press release. "The Company will pursue all appropriate legal avenues to protect its investment and rights."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Large numbers of New York City police officers begin entering Columbia University campus
Large numbers of New York City police officers began entering the Columbia University late Tuesday as dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters remained on the campus.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
CSE says it shared information on Chinese hacking of parliamentarians in 2022
While several MPs and senators say they were only recently made aware of China-backed hackers targeting them, the Communications Security Establishment, one of Canada's intelligence agencies, says it shared information about the incident with parliamentary officials in June of 2022.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
Eviction for landlord's use was legitimate, despite owners' partial move, B.C. court rules
A B.C. judge has upheld the eviction of a family from their North Vancouver townhouse, finding that the landlords did not take an unreasonable amount of time to move into the home after the tenants vacated it.
Local Spotlight
Quebec police officer anonymously donates kidney, changes schoolteacher's life
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Road closed in Oak Bay, B.C., so elephant seal can cross
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
B.C. breweries take home awards at World Beer Cup
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Haida Elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fergus, Ont. man feels nickel-and-dimed for $0.05 property tax bill
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.