Panama Residents Protest Relocation of Eight Cemeteries for Reservoir

Residents of Panama's Río Indio region gathered at the El Limon cemetery on July 31, 2026 to protest the government's plan to close eight cemeteries and flood the area for a new artificial reservoir. The decree, issued on July 21, bans new burials at El Limon and orders the transfer of remains to Los Cedros cemetery in Colón, while allowing the other seven cemeteries to operate until January 2027.

The project, backed by the Panama Canal Authority, aims to create a water‑storage reservoir to address climate variability and is slated to be operational in 2032. It will cost about US$1 billion, with an additional US$500 million allocated for relocating families, housing, roads and livelihoods. Approximately 500 families – roughly 2,000 people from 38 agricultural communities – are directly affected. Deputy Administrator Ilya Espino emphasized the urgency of the reservoir, while local farmer Olegario Cedeño warned that the decree uproots communities whose ancestors are buried there.