Central America
Panamanian union calls for protests against mining contract
October 23 |
The Single Union of Construction Workers (Suntracs) of Panama called this Saturday to popular sectors to new mobilizations in rejection of the Mining Contract, approved the day before by the National Assembly and then by the Executive.
Through a communiqué, the leader of the union, Saúl Méndez, said that the organization will continue fighting against the agreement and urged union, student and civil society groups to continue with the protests.
Méndez emphasized that the Mining Contract – which he categorized as a contract that sells the homeland – allows the plundering of natural resources and damages human health and the environment.
He stated that it is time to take to the streets so that the people can put order before those who are inclined to sell out Panama. He added that in the next few hours they will announce the actions that will be part of the new days of struggle, which will be decided in a national union council to be organized for this Sunday at the Suntracs headquarters.
He held responsible for what he called an affront to the homeland the Council of Ministers, the 44 deputies who voted for it this Friday, the magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice who endorsed it and President Laurentino Cortizo, who signed it after its approval by the Legislative.
He compared their endorsement of the referred agreement with the attitude of the Panamanian authorities in 1903, when they handed over to the United States the transoceanic Canal, which rightfully belonged to the Panamanian people.
The approval of the contract with the Canadian transnational First Quantum Minerals was also rejected this Saturday by the National Workers Central of Panama, the Ecological Ecclesial Network Mesoamerica-Panama and the Polo Ciudadano movement.
In their statements, they emphasized that the opinions of important sectors of society were not taken into account to sign the agreement, which they point out for the environmental damage, the harm to the communities and the extraordinary concessions made to the foreign company. Some of these concessions are catalogued as violating the law and the Constitution and limiting national sovereignty.
Central America
Panama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
A container originating from El Salvador and carrying coffee for export was contaminated with more than 1,152 packages of drugs while in transit through Panama, according to official information confirmed by the Panamanian government this Tuesday.
The case, which had previously generated political controversy in April 2025 after opposition sectors attempted to link the Salvadoran government to drug trafficking, has now been clarified through renewed investigations.
Authorities confirmed that the container departed from the port of Acajutla after being properly inspected, with no illicit substances detected at the time of export.
According to statements previously provided by El Salvador’s Minister of Defense, René Merino Monroy, the shipment traveled first to the port of Balboa in Panama, where it remained stored for several days before being transferred to another vessel bound for Manzanillo in Colón.
It was at that terminal that Panamanian authorities discovered the drugs and identified tampering with the container seals, indicating that the illicit alteration occurred during its transit in Panama rather than in Salvadoran territory.
The findings align with earlier explanations provided by Salvadoran officials and confirm that the contamination of the cargo took place outside of El Salvador’s jurisdiction.
Central America
Uber Eats adds Puntarenas and Turrialba to growing Costa Rica network
Uber Eats announced that it is continuing to expand its presence in Costa Rica with the launch of operations in the cities of Puntarenas and Turrialba, further strengthening the company’s growth in the country.
With this expansion, the delivery platform is now available across all seven Costa Rican provinces and works with more than 6,000 partner businesses. Its offerings include prepared food, supermarkets, pharmacies, pet stores, and other specialty retailers.
As part of the announcement, Uber Eats also introduced Marco Nannipieri as its new Regional General Manager for the Andean Region, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Nannipieri will oversee the company’s operations in Costa Rica along with seven other countries in the region.
“Costa Rica is a key market for Uber Eats in the region, with growing adoption of technology among users and businesses. Over the past five years, more than 1,000 restaurants and merchants have joined the app, and today we are entering a new stage of expansion that will allow us to reach more cities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country,” Nannipieri said.
Central America
Report questions direction of Nasry Asfura after 100 days in office
The Center for the Study of Democracy warned Tuesday that the government of Nasry Asfura, which marks its first 100 days in office on Wednesday, has failed to show a “significant change in direction” and continues to follow a model characterized by exclusion, inequality, and external dependence.
In its report titled “100 Days of the Nasry Asfura Government: Concerns and Demands,” Cespad stated that the administration has maintained an economic and political model that prioritizes debt payments, the promotion of extractive projects, and the strengthening of the security apparatus over social investment.
The organization argued that the current policies have not addressed structural problems affecting large sectors of the Honduran population and warned that inequality and economic dependence remain key challenges for the country.
Nasry Asfura won the general elections held on November 30, 2025, in a process marked by allegations of fraud and delays in the vote count that lasted nearly a month due to a series of technological failures.
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