This time, the case is being handled in civil court. During the press conference, Lilian González Guevara, spokesperson for CIAM and Adopta Bosque Panamá, indicated that the organizations will continue to participate in the corresponding legal processes and in the public debate related to environmental protection and port development in the country. Representatives of other civil organizations present announced that they are evaluating institutional actions, including a request to the Office of the Ombudsman, to analyze the scope of these measures in relation to the work of civil society organizations in Panama. The company Ocean Pacific Financial Services, promoter of the Puerto Barú project in David, initiated a civil process for the preventive seizure of bank accounts and assets against the Environmental Impact Center (CIAM) and the Adopta Bosque Panamá Association, as both organizations reported at a press conference. According to the information released, the action corresponds to a precautionary measure and not a judicial sentence or an administrative sanction. CIAM and Adopta Bosque Panamá are part of a coalition of more than 60 organizations that have requested the relocation of the Puerto Barú project, following technical studies that warn of possible impacts on the David Mangroves, an ecosystem protected by Panamanian legislation since 2007. The organizations also recalled that in August 2025, the project promoters filed criminal complaints related to alleged crimes against honor and economic security, which did not advance at that procedural stage. Meanwhile, Adopta Bosque Panamá reported that the measure affects the management of four conservation farms located in Chiriquí and Darién, used for environmental education and scientific research activities. This process is taking place in the context of a public debate about the port project. In the case of CIAM, they indicated that it could affect the provision of free legal assistance to communities and groups that request legal accompaniment. The objective of the preventive seizure would be to secure assets in the event of a future civil lawsuit, in accordance with the mechanisms established in current legislation. The organizations pointed out that the measure has an impact on their administrative operations, including the handling of funds for current expenses and labor commitments.
