Panama Congress Backs Repealing First Quantum Mine Contract
- Congress to hold a third vote on the contract Thursday
- Bill also establishes a national moratorium on metal mining
Protesters gather to stage demonstration against the approval of a 40-year mining contract in Panama City on Oct. 30.
Photographer: Danny Gonzalez/Anadolu/Getty Images
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Panamanian lawmakers voted to repeal a new contract with First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Wednesday in the second of three required votes, adding to uncertainties over the future of a giant copper mine.
Authorities in Panama are grappling to contain weeks of demonstrations against a renegotiated contract that President Laurentino Cortizo’s administration signed with First Quantum for the Cobre Panama mine. The backlash underscores the challenges for mining to gain widespread acceptance at a time of heightened social and environmental scrutiny and resource nationalism.