The Puerto Barú project in David is 20 kilometers from the city of David, in an area surrounded by 25% of Panama’s remaining mangroves, which are home to critically endangered species such as the hawksbill turtle and the Central American black monkey.

The plaintiffs seek to prove before the Supreme Court that the EIS, approved by the previous administration, has serious flaws and did not comply with fundamental legal procedures as part of its approval.

The EIS does not provide a correct assessment of the true impact and risks of the project, a reality that has recently been confirmed by an independent report by a consulting firm with extensive experience in reviewing these kinds of projects.

The lawsuit is supported by more than 50 environmental organizations that have joined a campaign to protect the environment. These organizations are not against development, they all want there to be employment and economic growth in Chiriqui. But risking the destruction of our environment is not acceptable, especially when there are better and more connected areas where the port could be built.

We all want our children and our children’s children to be proud of what we did to protect Panama’s greatest asset, our environment.