Panama: Law Modifying Mining Code to be Repealed · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

On the morning of March 3, President Ricardo Martinelli promised to repeal Law 8, which modified Panama's mining code. Hora Cero [es] reports:
El Presidente de Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli anunció este jueves que su gobierno derogará este jueves, una ley minera que miles de indígenas rechazaron durante las últimas semas con protestas en las calles y cierres de rutas en la provincias de Chiriquí y Veraguas.
The news were received with joy among Panamanians who saw the change in the code as an attack on the environment. Reactions immediately appeared on social networks.
President Ricardo Martinelli (@rmartinelli) shared the announcement of the repeal on his Twitter account, adding that he would always listen to his people:
La Ley 8 será derogada en Consejo Extraordinario, un Presidente como yo siempre escuchará a su pueblo
Juan Carlos Navarro (@juancanavarro), former mayor of the Panamanian capital, wrote on Twitter:
panama no quiere mineria a cielo abierto. ahora a defender naturaleza, fortalecer ANAM y escuchar a la gente.
Daniel A. Robleto A. (@danielrobleto) thanks the indigenous people that fought for the law to be eliminated:
Se anuncia derogacion de la ley 8 que permitía minería metálica de cielo abierto en Panamá. Gracias hermanos Ngäbe, su lucha lo logro.
Students, indigenous people, civil rights and environmental groups marched on the Coastal Highway to protest reforms to the mining code on February 20. Image under copyright by Demotix taken by Guillermo Johnson
Yitzhak Polanco M. (@yitzpolanco) shows his joy at the promise of a repeal:
Super Feliz!!! Degoracion total de la LEY 8!!! NO A LA MINERIA en PANAMA!!
Ana Perezmackenzie (@peresmackenzie) echoes the words of the president:
Martinelli dijo “No me gustan las minas, los mineros, ni la mineria” bueno a sacarlos de Panama, que el ORO de Panama es Verde!
C. Adrian Martínez (@cadrianmartinez) reminds his followers that the promise of a repeal does not necessarily mean that open-pit mining will not exist in Panama:
La derogación de la Ley 8 no es compromiso de un Panamá sin minería metálica/a cielo abierto. Ahora hay que lograr garantizar esto.