Front Burner

Protests grip Panama over Canadian mining deal

Why protests that began over a deal with a Canadian mining company have seized Panama, and reignited a century of anger over North American interests.
Demonstrators wave Panamanian flags during a protest against First Quantum Minerals Ltd. in Panama City, Panama.
Demonstrators wave Panamanian flags during a protest against First Quantum Minerals Ltd. in Panama City, Panama, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Labor unions, environmentalists and students paralyzed swathes of Panama on Wednesday as mass protests against FQM's giant copper mine show no sign of abating. Photographer: Walter Hurtado/Bloomberg (Walter Hurtado/Bloomberg)

Protests that began over a mining contract with a Canadian company have seized Panama for weeks, with key highways blocked, schools shut down, and a port choked with boats.

Why has the situation reignited a century of anger over North American interests? 

Freelance journalist Michael Fox has been covering the protests from Panama. The first season of his upcoming podcast, Under the Shadow, looks at the lingering impact of U.S. intervention in Central America.

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