What Panama’s Mining Showdown Means for Its Presidential Race
A Supreme Court ruling has crucial implications for the May 2024 election and the five leading candidates.
Following weeks of widespread protests over a contract signed between a Canadian mining company and the government, on November 28, Panama’s Supreme Court ruled that the agreement was unconstitutional. With a presidential election six months away, the decision affects not only one of the country’s critical drivers of economic growth but also the leading candidates’ chances. In its decision, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a law that approved a new contract with First Quantum Minerals (FQM), which has operated Cobre Panamá, a large open mine, since 2013, after taking an...
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