Panama explodes in protests against Canadian copper mine

Panama is on fire. Massive protests are rippling across the country. Road blocks. Unions on strike. School classes cancelled. Workers, teachers and indigenous groups are in the streets. They’re protesting the government’s approval of a renegotiated contract with a Canadian mining firm for the operation of Central America’s largest open-pit copper mine. They say it’s a threat to the environment and an attack on Panama’s sovereignty. Political analysts say the issue is having such an impact, because of the country’s long history of foreign intervention in the country, and particularly the U.S. control over the Panama Canal, which lasted throughout the 20th Century. Videography/Production: Michael Fox Post-Production: Michael Fox Additional footage from: @sertvpanama @ThePanamaCanal The Real News is an independent, viewer-supported, radical media network. Help us expand our in-depth analysis and coverage from Baltimore to Bangladesh by