In the province of West Panama, on the coast of Punta Chame, the ambitious tourism project called 'Beach Club House', promoted by the Megamar Corp. company, is now at the center of a complex legal, environmental, and administrative plot that has set off alarms for the authorities.
According to documents held by the Ministry of the Environment, Riad Salim El Hayek Tony was listed as the legal representative at that time. The agency emphasized that carrying out activities without environmental viability poses a direct risk to the coastal ecosystem and constitutes a breach of the commitments originally made by the company.
The administrative outcome occurred on September 18, 2025, when the Regional Directorate of Panama West issued resolution DRPO-SEIA-RECH-005-2025. In this administrative act, the Ministry of the Environment decided to summarily reject the request to modify the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), considering that the proposed changes would generate new impacts in areas not evaluated and outside the legal scope of the original project.
The most critical finding of the inspection was the geographical discrepancy: the area where the works were being carried out did not coincide with the polygon approved in 2016. Through the use of high-precision equipment, it was determined that the developer had exceeded the legal limits, carrying out activities on land that did not have any current environmental management tool or prior impact assessment.
In response to this situation, the Ministry of the Environment ordered the immediate and temporary suspension of the project. However, alarm bells rang when technicians from the Ministry of the Environment conducted a field inspection on August 4, 2025. During the tour, staff from the Environmental Performance Verification Department confirmed that the developer was not only planning the modifications but had already begun earthmoving, filling, and leveling work on the site.
In response to this request, the Ministry informed them that the environmental study remained valid and that any modifications to the project had to be reported to the institution beforehand.
The irregularities detected this week led to the indictment of seven people for their alleged involvement in the illegal extraction of sand and environmental damage associated with the development of the real estate and tourism project. According to the Ministry of Environment, the inspections carried out in the area made it possible to identify multiple anomalies, including the execution of works outside of the previously approved zones, the direct impact on mangroves and areas used as nesting sites for sea turtles, as well as the removal of sand in protected coastal sectors.
Technical reports from geomatics experts reinforced the illegality of the construction by verifying GPS points on the ground. Currently, the 'Beach Club House' project remains stalled and under the shadow of criminal liability.
Although the environmental impact study was approved, the project was not developed at that time. The story of this development formally began on September 28, 2016, when Megamar Corp. obtained approval of its Category I Environmental Impact Study (EIS) through resolution DRPO-AEIA-RES-IA-186-2016. The permit granted was limited to a specific hectare within a property of more than 22 hectares, designated for basic infrastructure such as a restaurant, swimming pool, and customer service areas.
The objective was to expand the club's offerings by adding 12 luxury cabins, each with its own bathroom and jacuzzi, as well as accommodations for people with disabilities, with the intention of transforming the initial concept into a more robust lodging complex.
Three years later, on May 7, 2025, a new legal representative for the company, Patrocinio Boza, appeared and submitted a request to modify the original study.
The seriousness of the case led the authorities to order that copies be sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, in order to investigate the possible commission of environmental crimes typified in the Penal Code, elevating the conflict from an administrative dispute to a more significant judicial process.
Currently, Megamar Corp.’s management structure is headed by Boza, who is listed as director, president, treasurer, secretary, and subscriber of the company. The list of directors is completed by Edma El Hayek Farfud, also as a director, while Silverio Cedeño is listed as a subscriber, according to available corporate records. Carolina El Hayek Farfud also appears on the board of directors, serving as the company’s resident agent and director.
An element appears that adds another dimension to the case: in the campaign donation records of the former president, reported to the Electoral Tribunal and published at the time, Riad Salim El Hayek Tony appeared as a donor, the same person who in 2016 served as legal representative of Megamar Corp. According to Electoral Tribunal records, the donation was channeled through two companies: Luna Brillante SA, which contributed $135,000, and Megapolis Investment Group Inc., with a contribution of the same amount.
This latest episode occurred during the government of Laurentino Cortizo (2019-2024). Meanwhile, the administrative processes continue at the Ministry of Environment, and the entity has ordered the indefinite suspension of the work.
In a multiple guarantee hearing held on March 8 in West Panama, Judge Ruth Aizpú legalized the arrest of seven people and formally charged them with the alleged commission of crimes against the environment and land use regulations.
