Notes about the Protests in Panama

Chuck Holton

Politics • Culture • News

Chuck Holton is an American war correspondent, published author, and motivational speaker.

Interested? Want to learn more about the community?

Show me more content first

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

October 25, 2023

Notes about the Protests in Panama

My home country of Panama is embroiled in massive protests across the country right now, all because the government gave a 40-year contract to a Canadian copper mine to extract minerals from a very remote area that can only be reached by 4x4 or helicopter.

The contract gives the Canadian company "absolute rights" (a rather vague term being used by the opponents of the contract) over 17,000 hectares of land on the Caribbean coast of Panama in a region that was previously all but uninhabited. This sounds like a lot of land, but it's actually about .396% of the forested land in Panama. Less than half of one percent.

For it's part, the mine employs about 7,000 people (when in operation) and directly or indirectly contributes to the livelihoods of about 40,000.

The most powerful and entrenched labor union in Panama, SUNTRACS, is angry because the miners formed their own union, therefore depriving SUNTRACS of a large amount of dues revenue.

So the labor union has whipped up a real fury about the mine contract being extended, and now people are stopping traffic all over the country. People are reporting being stuck for hours - sometimes even overnight, on the country's only highway. Ambulances cannot get through, and tourists are panicking.

the protests have caused reported losses of over $500 million for Panama's agricultural sector, and credit rating agencies are warning of significant consequences for Panama's fiscal health and creditworthiness. Tourists are choosing to go elsewhere, further causing economic hardship to the thousands of Panamanians who rely on tourism for their livelihoods. (Tourism represents about 6% of Panama's GDP.)

The road blockades have inflamed tensions across the country, and have reportedly led to criminals fleecing people for money to gain safe passage through the roadblocks.

Here are some thoughts:

Whether or not the mine is a bad thing, the protests are ultimately counterproductive and will do much more long-term damage to the country than a big hole in the ground.

That big hole is already there, so the environmental damage they are protesting is already done.

Most who are protesting the mine are doing so on social media using smartphones which rely on the very minerals the mine is extracting. Which is hypocritical.

Stopping traffic is kidnapping, or false imprisonment if you prefer, and should be criminalized. It is tantamount to kicking your dog because you had a fight with your wife, or burning down your local save-a-lot grocery to protest high food prices. It punishes the very people whose support you need to vote the bastards out come election day.

Panama is a great country with generally peaceable, humble people. If there was anything that should have got them out in the streets it should have been the TEN MONTH LOCKDOWNS that were imposed by the Cortizo administration as a response to COVID. But people happily went along with that. Now that somebody wants to invest in their country and create thousands of jobs, Panamanians are ready to burn the country down.

Corruption is a problem everywhere, but the bureaucrats barely feel these lockdowns. The elites fly into our little town in the mountains in their helicopters on the weekends. It's the pregnant mothers trying to get to the hospital and the tourists who spend their money in Panama who are being punished.

And finally, IF THESE PROTESTS SUCCEED, they will NEVER END. There's always something to be angry about. If the government allows these protesters to have their way, the roads will get blocked for every single issue from now on.

Either way, Panama loses. But the protesters aren't smart enough to see that.

Interested? Want to learn more about the community?

Show me more content first

What else you may like…

Videos

Podcasts

Posts

Articles

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

June 19, 2025

Soroka Missile Strike

Miraculously, the floor where the missile struck had been evacuated a couple of hours earlier

00:00:16

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

June 19, 2025

Breaking: Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva Hit by Iranian Missile

There are wounded

00:00:17

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

June 16, 2025

Getting Out of Dodge

Iranians flee Tehran

00:00:33

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

August 11, 2022

Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce

My erstwhile field producer and cameraman Dennis Azato has accompanied me on ten years of adventures across the globe. Today he joins me in Ukraine and we spend some time remembering our many trips together.

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

June 19, 2025

Deafening Silence: Over thirty nations once condemned Israel for alleged strikes on hospitals, calling for investigations and labeling the actions potential crimes against humanity.

Today, that same outcry is notably absent after an Iranian missile struck Soroka Hospital wounding patients, medical personnel, and children at the heart of the facility.

Countries such as Russia, Turkey, and China, along with the United Nations and major human rights organizations, were previously vocal in their criticism. Now, there are no statements, no emergency sessions, no international response.

This is not merely a missed news story - it reflects a glaring double standard.

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

12 hours ago

Russia, Iran and China Trying to DESTROY Maga

This new report is only part of the story.

https://networkcontagion.us/reports/6-18-25-false-flags-and-fake-maga-how-foreign-and-inauthentic-networks-use-fake-speech-to-destabilize-the-right-from-within/

NETWORKCONTAGION.US

6/18/25 - False Flags and Fake MAGA: How Foreign and Inauthentic Networks use Fake Speech to Destabilize the Right from Within - Network Contagion Research Institute

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

June 18, 2025

Margahovit, Armenia

I went out scouting for a new documentary today. This place is spectacular.

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

2 hours ago

You Are the Target: How Foreign Powers Are Weaponizing Influence to Destroy the MAGA Movement

Today I want to expose something most Americans don’t even realize: You—especially if you’re a Christian conservative or part of the MAGA movement—are under attack. Not just by political opponents at home, but by foreign powers around the globe.

Watch the FULL video HERE

First, the War You Know…

Yes, the Israel-Iran conflict is still heating up. Today, Iran struck a kindergarten in Be’er Sheva—adding to the long list of civilian targets after yesterday’s hospital strike. President Trump surprised everyone by saying he’s giving Iran “two weeks” to come back to the negotiating table.

But here’s the deal—he could still strike this weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised if the “two weeks” is a strategic head-fake.

Still, the memes are already out there: “Trump: Two Weeks” vs. “Trump: Too Weak.” That’s what happens when leadership hesitates. Whether or not you think we should get involved, there’s no question that inaction comes with its own risks.

But that’s not the main story today.

Now, the War You Don’t See…

Foreign governments are targeting you. Yes, you. The MAGA voter. The Christian mom. The military vet. The trucker. The homesteader. The man who still believes in truth, strength, and freedom.

And they’re doing it by weaponizing money, media, and manipulation.

Exhibit A: Qatar

In 2025, Qatar hired a D.C. PR firm called Lumen8 Advisors. They paid them $180,000 per month to polish their image in American media.
One of their objectives? Set up an interview between Tucker Carlson and Qatar’s prime minister.
After the interview, Tucker’s rhetoric on Iran—and Israel—started to shift. Coincidence?
There’s no confirmed payoff, but the optics are terrible.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera (Qatar’s state-run media) floods Western media with polished content—while its Arabic version openly supports jihadist groups.

Qatar is funneling billions into U.S. universities, conservative outlets, and think tanks. And it’s not just America. QatarGate is unfolding in Israel, with two Netanyahu aides arrested for taking money from Qatar-linked operatives.

Exhibit B: Russia & Iran

Only for Supporters

To read the rest of this article and access other paid content, you must be a supporter

Read full Article

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

4 hours ago

Title: Iran's Missing Uranium and the Coming Storm: Are We Days Away from War?

Watch the FULL video here

Coming to you today from Vanadzor, Armenia—right in the heart of the Caucasus—where I'm tracking what might be the biggest flashpoint the Middle East has seen in decades. And yes, it’s escalating fast.

So let me ask you this: what if I told you that Iran’s enriched uranium—over 400kg of near-weapons-grade stuff—is missing, and no one knows where it is? Not the IAEA. Not the inspectors. Not even the satellite guys. The storage facility might’ve been bombed. It might’ve been moved. It might’ve been smuggled out. And if the rumors are true, China may be involved.

Meanwhile, Israel just took out a top IRGC general in a secret compound near Tehran. This wasn’t some random strike. It was a precision operation after extensive surveillance—likely another Mossad masterpiece. And the U.S.? Trump has privately green-lit a Pentagon plan to strike Iran, should the need arise. Word is, he's just waiting for the final go. The British are already moving pieces on the board, too.

This is no longer just a war between Israel and Iran. It’s becoming a regional—and potentially global—conflict.

What Just Happened?

Iran fired 30–40 ballistic missiles into Israel this morning.
One missile struck the Saroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva. Miraculously, nobody died—because that wing had been evacuated just hours earlier.
137 wounded. Civilian targets. Medical facilities. This is deliberate, folks.
Israel’s response? Massive. Dozens of high-value Iranian military sites were bombed overnight. Over 100 munitions dropped.
And yes, the IDF says they’ve destroyed two-thirds of Iran’s launchers.

Only for Supporters

To read the rest of this article and access other paid content, you must be a supporter

Read full Article

Chuck Holton@ChuckHolton

June 16, 2025

Rockets vs. Missiles:

Why the Difference Matters in the Iran-Israel Conflict

As the war between Israel and Iran intensifies, many are asking a pointed question:

Why are more Iranian weapons making it through Israel’s sophisticated air defense systems than in past conflicts with Hamas or Hezbollah?

The answer lies in a critical distinction—one that’s often overlooked in media coverage: the difference between rockets and missiles.

Only for Supporters

To read the rest of this article and access other paid content, you must be a supporter

Read full Article

Available on mobile and TV devices