Survey shows Panamanians divided over reopening Cobre Panamá

Some 48% of Panamanians somewhat or strongly agree with reopening the Cobre Panamá copper mine, provided it is done in an orderly and responsible manner and complies with environmental regulations, according to Panama’s most recent national public opinion survey, conducted by the firm Doxa.

Meanwhile, 49% said they somewhat or strongly disagree with President José Raúl Mulino approving the reopening of the facility, according to a nationwide sample of 1,200 people (excluding Bocas del Toro, Darién and surrounding areas), with a margin of error of ±2.8%.

However, when asked whether President Mulino should negotiate with the company to reach a favorable agreement for Panama, 51% said they somewhat or strongly agree, while 47% somewhat or strongly disagree.

Regarding the perceived economic impact of the copper mine, 63% of respondents said it would have some or a lot of impact, while 34% said it would have little or none.

When the survey respondents were asked what change would be most important to reactivate the mine and restore their confidence, 46% cited transparent communication, 29% said a new agreement that benefits the country and 16% underscored the need for ensuring controls and standards.

Since the November 2024 survey, the percentage of Panamanians who have some or a lot of confidence that Mulino can negotiate a new and improved mining contract declined from 52% to 51%, while those with little or no confidence increased from 45% to 46%.

Minera Panamá announced in mid-March that it would suspend arbitration proceedings against Panama in order to open a dialogue with the government on the future of the US$10bn copper mine. The mine was indefinitely suspended in November 2023 after the supreme court declared its contract unconstitutional, following massive protests across various parts of the country.

Mulino established the "immediate" suspension of arbitration proceedings as a condition for initiating "formal talks" on the largest open-pit mine in Central America.

According to the president, the Panamanian government faces "six or seven international arbitrations... totaling tens of billions of dollars in damages" due to the closure of the mine.

Before halting operations, the First Quantum Minerals' subsidiary produced 330,863t of copper in 2023, representing about 1.5% of global supply.