Although the power lines already cross several villages, many families are still lighting their homes with kerosene lamps, battery-powered lanterns, and old solar panels, patched up as best they can.
Confesor González, a community resident, does not hide his concern. He says the electrification project was left halfway through and that no one has clearly explained to them why the work stopped. While the project remains paralyzed, González and other neighbors rely on the solar panels that the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) delivered in 2013.
"Here we need a quick response from the central government, because this project is not a luxury, it is a priority," expressed the councilman.
In the 21st century, in the Santa Rosa district of Capira, electricity is still a luxury that does not reach every home. The problem is that after 13 years, the batteries no longer perform as well as before, and replacing them costs more than $100, an expense that many families cannot afford. That's why, little by little, several households have stopped using the panels and returned to the basics: candles, lamps, and stoves to light up when night falls.
The Santa Rosa electrification project has been paralyzed for over three months, confirmed Juquincito Rodríguez, the district's representative. According to him, the main reason is the lack of funding from the central government. Rodríguez stated that notes have already been sent requesting the project be included in the 2026 budget, with the hope that it will be reactivated as soon as possible.
The project involves about 18 kilometers of power lines, from Arenas Blancas, passing through Ahogado Centro, Santa Rosa #1 and #2, Altos del Limón, and Claras Abajo. Part of this network would also benefit communities in the Cirí de los Sotos district.
"The community is restless."
