{"id":14032,"date":"2026-06-15T19:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T00:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=14032"},"modified":"2026-06-15T16:13:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T21:13:24","slug":"panama-mining-debate-intensifies-with-digital-attacks-on-environmental-activists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/business-economy\/panama-mining-debate-intensifies-with-digital-attacks-on-environmental-activists\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama Mining Debate Intensifies With Digital Attacks on Environmental Activists"},"content":{"rendered":"

Panama’s environmental defenders face a coordinated digital assault as the battle over reopening the Cobre Panama mine<\/a> enters a new and dangerous phase. A cross-border investigative report reveals more than 100 accounts are targeting activists who question the controversial copper mine’s revival. These accounts have spent nearly $60,000 on paid Meta advertising alone. The investigation, led by the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP) in partnership with Panamanian media outlets Concol\u00f3n and La Prensa, uncovered a sophisticated three-tiered harassment campaign. Fake profiles, simulated news pages, and accounts linked to mine employees are all part of the offensive. On November 28, 2023, environmental advocates achieved what many considered impossible. They stopped an open-pit mine located inside a protected biological corridor. Unprecedented protests forced the Panama Supreme Court<\/a> to declare unconstitutional the law extending the mining concession to a local subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals<\/a>. The celebration spread across the entire country. Indigenous Ng\u00e4be people played traditional music in camps along the Pan-American Highway near the Costa Rican border. They had resisted repression there for weeks. Boat operators who blocked the company’s port celebrated like they had won a world championship. Teachers and farmers who had seen five of their comrades die during the protests danced and waved flags outside the Palace of Justice. “We have decided unanimously to declare Law 406 entirely unconstitutional,” said Mar\u00eda Eugenia L\u00f3pez, president of the Panama Supreme Court. [Translated from Spanish] The ruling closed a chapter filled with conflict. The same concession had already been declared unconstitutional in 2017. The mine’s operation had accumulated hundreds of environmental violations in the mountains of Donoso, according to documents from Panama’s Ministry of Environment. The 234-page ruling determined that 25 articles of the Constitution had been violated<\/strong>. A separate moratorium law now blocks any new permits for metal extraction.<\/p>\n

\"First
First Quantum 2025 Tax Transparency and Economic Contributions Report | Source: https:\/\/www.first-quantum.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2025-tax-transparency-report.pdf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New Government Shifts Position on Mining Project<\/h2>\n

Two years later the fight over the mine continues. One of its most intense chapters involves the social media offensive against those who led environmental defense efforts during these years. The attacks target people who support the court ruling and question the project’s reactivation. A new government changed everything. President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino initially swore he would respect “the Court’s ruling” and “the request of our people.” He then announced his intention to revive the massive mining project. He waved the flags of employment and economic development. Mulino described mining opponents as “five cats” and claimed the project would reopen through a direct contract without going through the National Assembly. This approach disregards the magistrates’ ruling. The judges sentenced that these concessions require public bidding and citizen participation because they affect fundamental rights. Those rights include life, a healthy environment, and children’s health. After Mulino’s announcement, accounts with dubious identities proliferated on social media. They pushed for the project’s reopening. They promoted the idea of “responsible mining.” They attacked anyone who opposed it.<\/p>\n

\"mine
mine material by https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/codelco\/20682267384<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Digital Deforestation Campaign Targets Activists<\/h2>\n

The investigation, called “Digital Deforestation,” identified more than 100 accounts that amplify pro-mining content. These accounts attack environmental defenders with a clear focus on reactivating the Cobre Panama project. Some accounts pretend to be news outlets. Fake profiles invest thousands of dollars in advertising. The journalistic alliance documented more than 500 cases of digital harassment against environmental defenders. These include slander, smear campaigns, and doxing. Doxing is the practice of exposing personal information online. The digital attacks operate on three simultaneous levels. First, fake profiles with fictitious identities and anonymous accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube produce defamatory messages. They target environmental defenders with sexualized attacks against female leaders. They also engage in doxing. Second, some Facebook pages and other social networks present themselves as Panamanian news outlets. Their administration is hidden. They produce false information. Third, accounts with possible labor or economic ties to the mining company actively participate in the debate. One notable account in the first group belongs to Wilson Jaramillo. He is active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This profile appears designed to simulate closeness with ordinary people. It uses street slang. It claims to be from Barrio Sur de Col\u00f3n, one of the poorest and most forgotten sectors of the country. This account attacks activists, students, workers, and jurists who are part of the Lawyers for the Homeland Movement. Women are the recurring target of its publications. Environmentalists Camila Aybar and others face constant harassment.<\/p>\n

\"scam\"<\/p>\n

Coordinated Campaign Uses False News Sites<\/h2>\n

The second level of the operation involves pages that simulate being legitimate news media. These sites produce content that supports mining while discrediting environmental defenders. They hide their true administrators. The investigation found several such pages with similar management patterns. These fake news sites spent nearly $60,000 on paid advertising on Meta platforms. That includes Facebook and Instagram. The money bought reach for pro-mining content and attacks against activists. Some accounts show clear signs of being managed from the same structure. They use similar language, post at coordinated times, and target the same individuals. The campaign appears well-funded and organized. Environmental defenders who spoke with investigators described a constant barrage of threats and harassment. Many said they fear for their physical safety. The digital attacks have spilled into real-world consequences for some activists.<\/p>\n

Legal Battle Continues Despite Court Ruling<\/h2>\n

The legal status of the mine remains uncertain. The Supreme Court ruling from 2023 should have ended the matter. But the executive branch’s push for reopening has created confusion. President Mulino’s administration argues that a direct contract could bypass the need for legislative approval. Legal experts strongly disagree with this interpretation. The Constitution requires public bidding for such concessions, they argue. The court specifically ruled that mining concessions affecting fundamental rights cannot be awarded through direct contracts. Citizen participation is mandatory. The ruling also cited violations related to environmental damage and health risks for children living near the mine. Environmental groups have filed new legal challenges to prevent any attempt at reopening. They argue that the moratorium law and the Supreme Court ruling create a double barrier against new mining permits. The company First Quantum Minerals<\/a> has maintained a presence in Panama despite the legal setbacks. The company’s local subsidiary continues to employ workers and maintain facilities at the mine site.<\/p>\n

\"Legal
Legal disputes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regional Pattern of Harassment Emerges<\/h2>\n

The investigation revealed that this type of digital harassment follows a pattern seen across Latin America. Mining companies and their allies often use similar tactics to silence critics. Fake accounts, paid advertising, and coordinated attacks have become standard tools. The CLIP investigation involved six media outlets from across the region. They found comparable campaigns in other countries where mining operations face opposition. The methods remain consistent even when the targets change. Panama’s case stands out because of the Supreme Court’s clear ruling. Environmental defenders achieved a rare legal victory. The digital offensive appears designed to undermine that victory by attacking its supporters. Activists say the harassment has a chilling effect. Some have stopped speaking publicly about the mine. Others have deleted their social media accounts entirely. The doxing exposes their home addresses, phone numbers, and family information.<\/p>\n

What Comes Next for Panama Mining Debate<\/h2>\n

The immediate future depends on legal proceedings. Multiple cases challenging the government’s reopening plans are moving through the courts. Environmental groups have requested injunctions to block any direct contract. The National Assembly has not taken up the mining issue. Lawmakers remain divided. Some support the president’s economic arguments. Others insist on respecting the court ruling and the moratorium law. Public opinion also remains split. Mining supporters point to the jobs and tax revenue the project generated. Opponents cite the environmental damage and health risks documented by government agencies. The digital attacks show no signs of stopping. Investigators continue to monitor new accounts that appear daily. The $60,000 spent on Meta advertising represents only the documented amount. The actual figure could be higher. Environmental defenders say they will not be silenced. They continue to organize and speak out despite the harassment. The fight over Cobre Panama has become a test case for environmental protection in the region. The Supreme Court ruling remains in effect. The moratorium law remains in place. But the battle for public opinion continues on social media every day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Panama’s environmental defenders face a coordinated digital assault as the battle over reopening the Cobre Panama mine enters a new and dangerous phase. A cross-border investigative report reveals more than 100 accounts are targeting activists who question the controversial copper mine’s revival. These accounts have spent nearly $60,000 on paid Meta advertising alone. The investigation,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30,31,87],"tags":[2556,4831,4830],"class_list":["post-14032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","category-business-economy","category-crime-safety","category-featured","tag-cobre-panama-mine","tag-environmental-activists","tag-panama-mining-debate","post_format-post-format-video"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14032"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14033,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14032\/revisions\/14033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}