Panama supreme court rules Canadian copper mine contract unconstitutional

Decision comes after protests by environmentalists who said it would damage forested coastal area and threaten water supplies

Panama’s supreme court has declared unconstitutional a 20-year concession for a Canadian copper mine that had sparked weeks of protests by environmentalists and others who argued it would damage a forested coastal area and threaten water supplies.

The announcement by the nine-justice court, after four days of deliberations, set off cheers among demonstrators waiting outside and waving Panamanian flags.