Central America

Panama mine workers demand reopening amid economic slump and mining ban

Former workers of Central America’s largest open-pit copper mine, shut down in 2023 by Panama’s Supreme Court, called on Wednesday for the reactivation of operations, even though the country is under a mining moratorium.

The mine, operated by Canadian firm First Quantum Minerals, ceased production after Panama’s highest court declared the concession contract “unconstitutional,” following mass anti-mining protests that nearly brought the country to a standstill.

“There’s an unemployment crisis affecting the nation, and reopening the mine could bring back thousands of jobs, restoring the hope and dreams lost since the shutdown,” said Ilka Camargo, a former mine employee, to AFP.

Located on Panama’s Caribbean coast, the mine produced around 300,000 tons of copper concentrate annually, accounting for 75% of the country’s exports and 5% of its GDP. It directly and indirectly employed approximately 37,000 people.

Several unions backed the call for reopening on Wednesday, arguing that it would generate employment and boost economic growth amid growing dissatisfaction with conservative President José Raúl Mulino.

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“If reopening the mine helps generate new jobs, the government should make the decision to do it,” said Aniano Pinzón, Secretary-General of Panama’s General Workers’ Union.

“We have the right to work, and we believe in responsible mining that serves the Panamanian people and respects the environment,” stated Michael Camacho, leader of the former workers’ union.

Panama’s economy grew by just 2.9% in 2024, a sharp decline from 7.4% the previous year, when the mine was still operational. Meanwhile, unemployment stands at 9.5% and may rise further following the dismissal of 6,500 workers from U.S. banana company Chiquita Brands, which shut down operations amid protests in Bocas del Toro province.

Central America

Panamanian farms take action to reduce jaguar attacks and promote coexistence

A growing number of farms in Panama are taking steps to reduce jaguar attacks on livestock, showing that coexistence between humans and these American felines is possible, a UN agency said on Friday.

The jaguar (Panthera onca) holds a prominent place in Mayan and Aztec mythology, but many farmers kill them after livestock attacks.

Ninety-six percent of jaguar deaths in Panama from 1989 to 2019 occurred following attacks on livestock, according to the NGO Fundación Yaguará. Additionally, the prized jaguar hide made them targets for poachers, causing the population to decline by 20 to 25% since 2000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“Conserving the jaguar is not just about protecting an iconic species; it also involves safeguarding and restoring critical ecosystems, and improving water management and biodiversity,” Juan Bello, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), told AFP.

Fundación Yaguará, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and UNEP are running a program to “reduce conflicts between communities and wildlife” in Panama.

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Through this innovative project, many farms have adopted measures to reduce livestock attacks and avoid retaliatory killings of jaguars, demonstrating that coexistence is indeed possible.

Central America

Police confirm multiple victims and fire after church shooting in Grand Blanc, Michigan

A new mass shooting shook the United States this Sunday, this time at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintslocated on McCandlish Rd. in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

The Grand Blanc Township Police Department confirmed that there were multiple victims, though their identities and the extent of their injuries have not yet been disclosed. Authorities have not specified whether there are fatalities.

According to the official report, the attacker “is down” and the threat has been neutralized.

“There are multiple victims, and the shooter is down. There is NO threat to the public at this time. The church is actively on fire,” the department said in a statement.

In addition to the shooting, a fire is consuming the temple, prompting police to urge residents to avoid the area as emergency operations continue.

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Central America

Bukele and Trump highlight joint fight against gangs and terrorism

U.S. President Donald Trump thanked the Government of El Salvador for its collaboration in imprisoning criminals who had entered U.S. territory irregularly. The Republican leader acknowledged the work of his ally during his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly taking place this week in New York.

“I want to thank El Salvador for the successful and professional work it has done in receiving and imprisoning so many criminals who entered our country. Under the previous administration [of Joe Biden], the numbers reached record levels, and now we are expelling them all,” Trump stated.

For his part, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele expressed his gratitude to the U.S. leader for his remarks and for officially designating the 18th Street gang as a terrorist group.

“In El Salvador, we had already taken that step by formally labeling them terrorists, and although some organizations have criticized us, the majority of their members are currently imprisoned at Cecot, the Terrorism Confinement Center, designed specifically to confront these threats,” Bukele said.

He added that both countries share a common vision in the fight against terrorism. “We are convinced that cooperation between our nations is key to eradicating these criminal structures and ensuring a future of peace and security for our people,” Bukele emphasized.