Panamanian lawmaker blocks plan to reopen Donoso copper mine

Opposition deputy Grace Hernández on Tuesday rejected President José Raúl Mulino’s proposal to restart copper extraction at the Donoso mine in Colón province. Hernández said the plan ignores the Panama Supreme Court’s November 2023 ruling that declared the mining concession unconstitutional and bypasses required legal procedures such as a public tender and a citizen referendum.

She argued the project benefits a small group of investors rather than the country, citing concerns over environmental oversight, potential corruption, and the state’s limited capacity to monitor a large‑scale mining operation. Hernández urged the government to focus on diversifying the economy through tourism, logistics, ports and infrastructure instead of returning to metal mining.

The debate follows months of protests that halted operations at the mine, which is one of Central America’s largest copper deposits. The president has reiterated interest in finding a solution, but no concrete steps have been announced.