Panama - Seven people, all of them members of subcontracted companies, have been charged with crimes against the environment and territorial planning as primary accomplices. The accused were apprehended during a search warrant operation carried out by the Public Ministry on the premises of a project under development in the Punta Chame district of Chame, which is subject to a stop-work order. The judge also accepted the prosecution's request to apply a precautionary measure of a ban from leaving the country and a restriction from accessing the area where the tourist project is located. The accused — including architects, building technicians, lawyers, managers, and plumbers — have been linked to an investigation initiated by the Public Ministry in January 2026 against the company that owns the project for alleged environmental damage. Previously, the Ministry of the Environment had ordered the suspension of all work on two occasions; despite this, the construction continued. According to Prosecutor Fátima Marciaga, MiAmbente reports indicate the clearing and filling of a mangrove area, the removal of beach sand, and the disruption of a sea turtle nesting area. During the hearing, the prosecutor stated that despite the suspension order, each new inspection by MiAmbente revealed significant progress in the project's construction. Furthermore, there is evidence that part of the work was carried out outside the polygon authorized in the environmental impact study. The defense for the accused, in turn, emphasized that the seven individuals apprehended began working months after the investigations had started, so, in their view, there are no elements linking them to the crime being investigated.
