Former Employees and Residents Urge Authorities to Consider Facts for Future of Panama's Mining Project

Maru Gálvez, public relations manager of Cobre Panamá, stated that spaces for dialogue with communities are crucial to address their concerns with knowledge, allowing them to form their own opinion about the mining industry. The company, in the western region, answered the questions of 18,887 citizens regarding the management of water resources at the mine and its environmental impact, reiterating its commitment to dialogue based on real and verifiable data. The interest of Panamanians in mining activity has grown exponentially in the last two years, causing them, instead of only relying on information received over the internet, to personally attend the various stands that Cobre Panamá offers nationwide to learn about its operations and benefits. Former employees and residents of communities near the mine are asking authorities to take these factors into account to define the future of the project, which will be announced in June after the completion of the comprehensive audit. These questions were resolved by former mine workers in an interactive container that offered more than 500 visitors an immersive experience of the project, where they learned, through technology, about its management and relevance to the local economy. Data provided by the company reveals that over 18,000 people visited their booths at the Flowers and Coffee Fair, held in Boquete, Chiriquí province, and the Thousand Polleras Parade, held last weekend in the city of Las Tablas, Los Santos province, to clarify their doubts and verify that sustainable mining is possible. They indicated that their objective with these participations is "to maintain open channels of information, promote educational, close, and transparent communication, and strengthen direct dialogue with citizenship." A decision that has been well received among Panamanians, as the number of visitors to its facilities is growing day by day and opposition to the project has decreased. They detailed that public consultations in the Azuero region focused on topics such as university practices, project location, material handling, workforce composition, and the impact of its benefits on the country. "These spaces allow us to meet face to face with people, listen to their concerns, and respond with transparency. That direct dialogue is key to building trust," they affirmed. The copper mine in Donoso, Colón province, represented approximately 5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which translates to more than 4.6 billion dollars annually, 7,000 direct jobs, and more than 40,000 indirect jobs, benefits that, to date, have not been generated by any other industry, aggravating the local economic panorama.