The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, rejected this Sunday the versions circulating about alleged indigenous demonstrations linked to a mining project in Cerro Colorado, in the Ngäbe-Buglé region.
“I have seen some indigenous groups protesting a mining project in Cerro Colorado. Absolutely false! There is nothing on that topic”stated the president.
Mulino stressed that there is currently no mining plan in that area and described the complaints that have circulated in the media and social networks as unfounded.
He reiterated that his administration maintains a policy of transparency regarding extractive projects and that any initiative of this type must comply with the legal and environmental requirements established in the country.
Assembly
The president’s reactions come after the Extraordinary General Congress of the Ngäbe-Buglé region recently rejected the possibility of opening an information and consultation process on the Cerro Colorado mining project, an initiative that Cobre del Istmo Corp., which seeks to promote one of the main known copper deposits in Panama.
The position was expressed forcefully by Chief General Elena Cruz, who during the plenary expressed her opposition to allowing the process to advance.
“It is the only one we have left and as an authority I say that it does not work,” he stated, justifying his decision in the defense of the territory and future generations.
The chief also made reference to the history of discrimination and violence that, in her words, the Ngäbe-Buglé people have suffered and warned about the possible effects of mining activity on the territory.
Prohibition
The Minister of the Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro, also reacted to this position, stating that there are no plans to develop a mine in Cerro Colorado.
“Only what I have seen in the media. It caught my attention that a meeting was held to discuss issues regarding the Cerro Colorado mine because that mine, as far as I know, does not exist, has never existed nor are there any plans for it to exist. But well, it caught my attention and I saw that there was a consultation or something like that.”he declared.
Navarro also recalled that Panamanian legislation prohibits the granting of new mining concessions.
Who is Cobre del Isthmus?
Cobre del Istmo Corp. presents itself as a Panamanian company subsidiary of Russell Mining Corp., specialized in the development of mining projects under an approach that the company calls responsible, according to what is detailed in its own web portal.
Its main interest in Panama is the development of the Cerro Colorado project, located within the Ngäbe-Buglé region. The company maintains that it has not currently started any mining activity in the territory and that any information and consultation process would depend on express authorization from the Plenary Session of the Ngäbe-Buglé General Congress.
La Estrella de Panamá conducted a search in the public registry, which details that Cobre del Istmo Corp. was created in 2023. Currently its directors are Andrew Joseph Russell, who acts as president; Cesar Luis Romero, secretary and Nikolaos Paraskevas, treasurer.
The latter is also part of St. Augustine Gold & Copper Ltd. as CEO. This company is dedicated to mining, specifically the extraction of gold and copper on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, according to information found on the website of the company dedicated to extractive activities.
Deposit
Cerro Colorado is a copper deposit located within the Ngäbe-Buglé region with more than 1.4 billion tons of mineralized rock and constitutes one of the mining projects that have historically generated the greatest controversy in Panama.
The deposit was already at the center of social conflicts during the administration of former president Ricardo Martinelli (2009 – 2014) and as a result of the rejection of the native population, Law 11 of 2012 was approved, which established a special regime for the protection of the mineral, water and environmental resources of the region.
The rule is particularly clear: it prohibits the granting of concessions for the exploration, exploitation and extraction of metallic and non-metallic mining within the Ngäbe-Buglé region, its annexed areas and adjacent Ngäbe-Buglé communities. It also ordered the cancellation of existing mining concessions in those areas.
Added to this prohibition is Law 407 of 2023, which established a prohibition on new concessions for the exploration, extraction, transportation and benefit of metal mining throughout the national territory.
This medium consulted the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) about the existence of any request, management or approach by Cobre del Istmo to the entity. So far, the ministry has not responded. However, when reviewing the official list of applications and contracts for metallic mining concessions, the name of said company does not appear.
