News
Thursday 24th April 2025.
April 23, 2025
President José Raúl Mulino reiterated his position on the Cobre Panamá mine , categorically ruling out the possibility of a new legal contract; however, he believes it is feasible to establish an association that guarantees sovereignty over the resource.
” The only route that won’t exist is a legal contract. There won’t be a legal contract for mining . (…) The mine belongs to Panama and the Panamanians, no one else,” he asserted.
He stated that the issue should be discussed in the National Assembly, but warned that the current legislature will not address the matter.
The president also revealed that the government is taking the first steps to audit the project and establish contact with the companies involved.
During his speech at the inauguration of the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCIAP), he also mentioned that the Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman , is in Washington participating in meetings with international financial organizations, and is expected to speak with one of the plaintiffs of the Panamanian State in the framework of the still active arbitration proceedings.
“We need to talk. Nothing can be imposed; the risk is very high,” Mulino warned, noting that this mining conflict has far-reaching economic implications, both for job creation and for the country’s international perception.
“Our international creditors and credit rating agencies are closely monitoring this issue,” he added.
He also highlighted that the abrupt closure of the project has affected thousands of workers and business owners who were left “hanging in the balance” with suspended inventories and contracts.
Following the suspension of arbitration proceedings by First Quantum Minerals , the Panamanian government is preparing to take the next step in the mining project evaluation process.
In an interview with La Prensa, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Julio Moltó , explained that they hope to conduct the audit to understand not only the project’s environmental impact but also its socioeconomic dimension, thereby achieving a broader vision that will allow for a beneficial solution for the country.
He explained that, with the reference framework in place, they are seeking a mechanism to finance the audit through a multilateral organization and proceed with the hiring of the company that will conduct the investigation.
He maintained that a formula is also being sought to legally dispose of the copper concentrate remaining in the mine.
While the process for a comprehensive audit of the Donoso mining project is moving forward, and now the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, has announced that there will be no other contract and that a “partnership” option is being considered, Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro stated that his anti-mining stance is clear and well known.
Navarro stated at a forum on sustainability that there is no new information regarding the mine from the environmental department.
He assured that the project’s environmental audit is underway, and the Department of Commerce and Industry will announce the results and next steps.
“I have good news for you: regarding the mine, there’s no news (…) I’m aware of the environmental issues, but right now there’s no news; the mine isn’t operating, thank God, I might add. My position on the mine is well known , and in the future, when decisions are made by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, they will be announced and consulted with the Ministry of the Environment.”
Navarro stated that he is currently focused on implementing the plan to environmentally rescue the Darien rainforest due to the negative impact left by the passage of irregular migrants in the area. He revealed that they are waiting for the arrival of the new U.S. ambassador to Panama to resume the environmental rescue project in that rainforest.
Furthermore, the Minister of the Environment said they are encouraging a cultural shift to further promote sustainable tourism and attract more visitors and investments that have a positive impact on environmental preservation.
The Panama Canal has resumed the creation of an energy corridor that will function as a waterless “fourth lane.” It appears the Canal is reconsidering some of the business related to ship passage, which had been discussed since 2017.
This is a gas pipeline that would allow the transfer of energy products between the Atlantic and the Pacific without the need for ships to cross the interoceanic waterway through locks.
With this, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) seeks to diversify its revenues and take full advantage of its geographic location. This new operating model involves transferring liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from one vessel to another through a network of pipelines that would cross the isthmus by land, avoiding the use of water and the Canal’s traditional infrastructure.
A compliance judge denied the request for probation filed by the defense of Jorge ‘Churro’ Ruíz , sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crimes of money laundering and criminal conspiracy through the Blue Apple company .
José Carrera, a court judge for the First Judicial District, rejected the request filed by attorney Carlos Martínez, representing Ruiz, to grant him probation. The request included a job offer as operations manager for the restaurant chain Grupo Manolo, whose manager is his brother, Alberto Ruiz.
Carrera dismissed the request made by attorney Martínez, arguing that during the hearing held on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 23, it was unclear who owned the residence where Ruíz would live if she were granted probation.
The judge questioned María Antonia Lee, Ruiz’s wife, about whether she had the deeds certifying that her husband owned the residence in which they would both live, to which she stated that she did not have them on hand, although she did present utility bills establishing that the residence is the property of the sanctioned man.
The judge clarified that probation is not a right, but rather a decision that must be made by the judge after the sentenced person has met a series of requirements. To qualify for this benefit, the sentenced person must have served two-thirds of their sentence, have a job offer, good conduct, a report from the Technical Board of the Penitentiary System, and have family ties.
Judge Carrera stated that family ties are very important, since that residence would be subject to visits by prison authorities to confirm that the convicted person actually lives there and is not evading responsibility.
Ruíz’s defense also presented a note from the Ministry of Government’s Technical Board and a certification from El Renacer prison explaining that the convicted man had completed rehabilitative courses, but the judge stated that in this case no certificate had been presented confirming that the defendant had successfully completed them.
Once the judge announced his verdict, attorney Martínez appealed the decision, and the hearing to resolve the appeal was scheduled for April 30 before the Superior Court of Appeals.
The National Customs Authority reported this Wednesday, April 23, that inspectors detained a Salvadoran citizen at Tocumen International Airport with $14,431 in undeclared possession.
In a statement, the agency emphasized that an inspector on duty detected something irregular, which prompted a more thorough inspection.
The Customs Authority explained that the scanner was used and money was detected hidden in the person’s pants and in a pocket of the backpack he was carrying.
In addition, it was reported that the person arrived at the Tocumen airport from El Salvador without presenting a traveler’s declaration form, and after being questioned by Customs personnel, he reported that he only had $9,900 on him.
The representative of the San Francisco district, Serena Vamvas, confirmed that the audits and criminal investigations against her predecessor, Carlos Pérez Herrera, for alleged irregularities in the handling of public funds are progressing rapidly.
According to his statement, both the Comptroller General’s Office and the Public Prosecutor’s Office have acted diligently since the beginning of his administration.
Vamvas indicated that three officials from the Comptroller General’s Office are assigned almost permanently to the communal council and that an extensive report is already being prepared, including findings of irregularities, referring to anomalies in the previous administration. He assured that the results will be made public soon.
She also revealed that there are four criminal complaints filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for different offenses, all filed by her. Although she declined to provide details of each case, she reiterated that the justice system must act firmly and that those responsible must be held accountable for the alleged misuse of resources.
Asked about the amounts involved, Vamvas said that a definitive figure is not yet available, given that audits are ongoing.
However, he revealed that one of the suspected funds amounts to 1.5 million balboas, originating from decentralization funds, which, in his words, “were horribly mishandled, to put it mildly.”
The representative concluded by stating that once the Comptroller’s reports are ready, the results will be made public.
“You and all citizens will be the first to know the results,” he promised, reiterating his commitment to transparency and clean public management in the San Francisco Municipal Council.
The National Decentralization Authority (AND) has filed more than 50 complaints with the Public Prosecutor’s Office related to the alleged misuse of funds distributed through the controversial “parallel decentralization.” These complaints, which focus primarily on communal councils of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) during the period from 2020 to 2024, have put the management of 320 million balboas earmarked for local projects in scrutiny.
Some of the current and former council members charged have been those from San Francisco, Pacora, and Ernesto Córdoba Campos. In the case of San Francisco and Ernesto Córdoba Campos, the council members from 2019 to 2024 were Carlos Pérez Herrera and Rubén Medina, respectively. Despite their aspirations, both failed to seek reelection. Meanwhile, Hugo Henríquez, the representative from Pacora, did succeed.
At the time, this newspaper consulted Pérez Herrera about the complaint, but he expressed his incomprehension. “What I can tell you is that everything is substantiated, and the Comptroller’s Office can attest to that,” he stated.