Lawyer arrested after shooting two eco-protesters who were blocking highway

A 77-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the deaths of two people at a protest.

Protesters in Panama blocked a highway on Tuesday (7 November), meaning people in cars could not pass.

Groups have been protesting against copper mining for weeks, wreaking havoc across the country.

$80 million has been reported in daily losses for local businesses as a result of the road blockades.

And earlier this week, as well as money being lost - so were lives.

A man approached a group of protestors blocking the Pan-American Highway while brandishing a gun.

He then allegedly shot two people - both of whom died shortly after.

The victims have since been identified as Abdiel Díaz and Iván Mendoza.

One was an educator, while the other was the husband of an educator at a school in the San Carlos district, Newsroom Panama reports.

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Police have now arrested Kenneth Darlington in connection to the shootings.

Darlington, who reportedly has a dual citizenship for both the US and Panama, appeared before a judge in the town of La Espiga yesterday (8 November) and has been remanded in custody.

According to the lawyer of the two victims, the 77-year-old was being charged with murder and illegal possession of a gun.

With Darlington's age in mind, local media outlets have suspected that the retiree won't get any jail time and will be put on house arrest instead.

He's next due in court on 15 November.

A new mining contract was announced on 20 October, sparking nationwide protests in Panama.

One of protesters' main concerns about the mining deal between the government and Canadian firm First Quantum Minerals is that the mining will contaminate drinking water.

The contract allows First Quantum Minerals to mine for 20 years, with the potential of it being extended another 20 afterwards.

“Panamanians are suffering from lack of water, suffering from droughts, principally in the central provinces, animals that die, harvests that don’t happen,” environmental activist Martita Cornejo told CNN en Español.

“The government did not gauge the opposition from Panamanian society to a mining contract.”

But President Laurentino Cortizo has defended the deal saying that it will bring in thousands of jobs for Panama's residents and revenue for the country.

"After a difficult and complicated negotiation for more than two years, a contract was agreed in 2023 between the company Minera Panama and the Panamanian State, which guarantees much better terms and conditions for the country," he said.

President Cortizo also labeled it as 'difficult', but ultimately feels they 'made the right decision'.