PANAMA CITY — About 300 people protested in Panama City on Monday against a planned reservoir for the Panama Canal that would displace about 2,000 residents and require the relocation of community cemeteries.
The Panama Canal Authority plans to build the reservoir on the Indio River, west of the canal route, to secure the water supply needed to operate the canal and reduce the risk of disruptions during droughts.
The canal currently relies on water stored in artificial lakes for its operations.
The planned project is expected to affect communities in the area, with the first resettlements scheduled to begin next year.
Protesters gathered outside the Supreme Court to oppose the project and the planned relocation of residents.
“They won’t get us out, whether we’re alive or dead,” protest leader Maricel Sanchez said while reading a statement from affected communities.
The first community slated for resettlement is El Limon de Chagres, where preliminary work on the reservoir is expected to begin.
The project will also require the closure of community cemeteries and the exhumation and relocation of remains.
Attorney Tristan Santander said a legal motion had been filed seeking to nullify the government order authorizing the exhumation and transfer of bodies.
The Panama Canal Authority has said the reservoir would help secure a reliable water supply for canal operations and protect against future drought-related disruptions.