Panama’s Indigenous communities raise alarm over canal megaprojects: Video
Indigenous and rural communities living near the Panama Canal are voicing strong opposition to a series of megaprojects planned in the Río Indio region, fearing the loss of their lands and foreign interference in national affairs.
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is advancing plans for a reservoir on the Río Indio to address severe droughts that have disrupted canal operations. The project, backed by both the United States and China, is seen as crucial for maintaining water levels essential to the canal’s functioning, yet locals argue they were never properly consulted.
"People who have lived here for years, peacefully, happily, now because of the whim of the government and the whim of the ACP, they impose this desire. I don’t agree," said Ernesto Maceno, a farmer from the region.
Residents have been seen placing Panamanian flags on their land in protest, symbolising their claim to sovereignty. Many worry about losing their homes, schools, cemeteries, and crops to flooding if the project goes ahead.
"This is not a life project, it’s a death project. Because we have to stop this here. Because if we don’t stop it here, my God, where are we going? This is shameful," said Álvaro Maceno, another local farmer.
Despite widespread concern, authorities have provided limited information about the project’s environmental and social impacts, and there are no clear guarantees for possible resettlement. The Panamanian government has not yet responded to the growing opposition.
According to the ACP, around 40 percent of U.S. container traffic passes through the canal, with U.S. trade representing roughly 73 percent of its total operations. The modernisation effort aims to secure Panama’s role in global commerce — but for the communities of Río Indio, it raises deep questions about sovereignty, survival, and the true cost of development.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
