Omoa residents protest proposed $120 million maritime terminal

Tensions are rising in Omoa, Cortés, over a proposed maritime terminal project designed to accommodate cargo ships, merchant vessels, and cruise ships. The project, estimated at $120 million, involves a 25-year concession to the companies Invesport S.A. and Servicios Consolidados, coordinated by the Empresa Nacional Portuaria (ENP).

Opponents, including local residents, entrepreneurs, and environmentalists, argue the terminal would be located in the Motriques sector, an area currently used for tourism and residential purposes near the mouth of the Omoa River. Critics warn the industrialization of this zone could devastate local ecosystems—home to manatees, dolphins, and turtles—and harm a local economy that relies heavily on tourism. Some residents have also reported receiving death threats due to their opposition to the development.

Proponents of the project, such as investor representative Salomón Alvarado and Omoa Mayor Ricardo Alvarado, argue the terminal is necessary for economic development, citing the need for increased port capacity and job creation. However, local business leaders express concern that the project will repeat the environmental damage seen in the Centeno lagoon.