Panama City, Panama , President José Raúl Mulino received a long-awaited interministerial report on the future of the Cobre Panamá mine Tuesday, but made clear that the Panama mining decision remains unresolved and will not be rushed. The document, prepared by a commission of three cabinet ministers, offers recommendations but no operational timeline, Mulino said during a public address.
The president emphasized that the report is a study, not a verdict. “This report is not a decision. It is a study and a recommendation. It does not propose any operation date because that is not what was requested,” Mulino stated [Translated from Spanish]. He added that he will review the findings alongside his cabinet and legal advisers before announcing any resolution.
Panama Mining Decision Framework and Non-Negotiable Criteria
Mulino outlined six conditions that will anchor any future action on the shuttered copper mine. First, full compliance with the Supreme Court ruling that struck down the concession contract in November 2023. Second, state sovereignty over the mineral deposit. Third, zero fiscal cost to Panamanian taxpayers. Fourth, verifiable transparency rather than declarative promises. Fifth, priority for communities that bore the brunt of the closure. Sixth, independent oversight meeting international standards.
“Those six are not negotiable. Everything else is under study,” Mulino said [Translated from Spanish]. He further stipulated that any alternative must include an orderly closure funded by the site itself, with step-by-step verification, even if the process takes decades. The president stressed that the report authorizes no hiring and commits no general budget funds.
Economic Fallout and Community Impact Data
The commission’s findings quantify the economic damage since mining operations halted. According to figures cited by Mulino, 1,500 Panamanian companies lost their market, with three out of four being micro, small, or medium enterprises. That supply chain previously purchased roughly $1 billion annually from domestic firms.
Job losses exceeded 6,000 direct positions and 30,000 indirect roles. An estimated 144,000 people lost their immediate source of livelihood. The president singled out the communities of Donoso, Omar Torrijos, and La Pintada, noting the region contributed more than one-third of the workforce while also enduring environmental impacts. “This report puts them first, and I receive it that way,” he said [Translated from Spanish].
Legal Context and Next Steps for the Mine
The Supreme Court’s November 27, 2023 ruling declared the concession contract unconstitutional, but left unresolved the fate of existing infrastructure. Mulino addressed this gap directly. “That ruling closed a contract. It did not resolve what to do with the site. And the site exists,” he stated [Translated from Spanish].
The commission, formed three months ago, included the ministers of Commerce, Economy and Finance, and Environment. Its mandate covered information gathering, expert consultation, and evaluation of alternatives. A comprehensive site audit was completed as part of that work.
Mulino said the full report will be released publicly for review by citizens, journalists, universities, and organizations. He pledged to avoid the mistakes of rushed decision-making. “I am not going to repeat the error of deciding in four days on a matter this country will carry for decades,” he said [Translated from Spanish]. When a final determination emerges, Mulino insisted it will come directly from him, not through leaks or informal channels. “What I decide about this site, you will hear from me,” he affirmed [Translated from Spanish].