El Gobierno de Panamá tendrá a finales de mayo los resultados finales de la auditoría integral realizada a la mina Cobre Panamá, un documento que será determinante para definir el futuro de la operación minera suspendida desde noviembre de 2023 tras el fallo de inconstitucionalidad emitido por la Corte Suprema de Justicia.

Así lo confirmó el ministro de Comercio e Industrias, Julio Moltó, quien señaló que el Ejecutivo mantiene la postura anunciada previamente por el presidente José Raúl Mulino: esperar el cierre completo del proceso técnico antes de tomar cualquier decisión sobre la mina.

“A finales del mes de mayo” estarán listos los resultados finales, respondió el ministro al ser consultado sobre el cronograma de la auditoría.

Moltó evitó confirmar si el Gobierno ha ofrecido un nuevo contrato a Minera Panamá, subsidiaria de la canadiense First Quantum Minerals, y reiteró que primero deben analizarse los hallazgos técnicos y ambientales del informe integral.

“Seguimos en la auditoría integral y cuando esa auditoría se finalice, el gobierno panameño, tal cual lo dijo el presidente de la República, tomará decisiones al respecto”, afirmó.

El ministro recordó que el Gobierno aprobó previamente un plan de gestión segura para mantener protegida el área de la mina y permitir la salida de materiales que podían representar riesgos ambientales. Según explicó, todo el proceso ha sido coordinado junto al Ministerio de Ambiente y acompañado por la auditoría multidisciplinaria que actualmente desarrolla la empresa SGS Panama Control Services Inc.

Precisamente, el sexto informe mensual de esa auditoría fue divulgado recientemente y confirmó que el documento final todavía continúa en elaboración.

El reporte detalla que la revisión abarca aspectos ambientales, legales, laborales, tributarios, técnicos y operativos vinculados con el proyecto minero ubicado en Donoso, provincia de Colón.

Uno de los puntos más relevantes es que todavía no se publica la evaluación definitiva sobre el cumplimiento de los 370 compromisos derivados del Estudio de Impacto Ambiental Categoría III. Ese análisis será incorporado dentro del informe consolidado junto con los anexos técnicos y el resumen ejecutivo.

La expectativa alrededor de la auditoría ha crecido debido al peso económico que tuvo la mina antes de su suspensión. Diversos organismos internacionales y firmas privadas han advertido que el comportamiento económico de Panamá en 2026 sigue condicionado, en parte, por una eventual reactivación de Cobre Panamá, que antes de su cierre representaba cerca del 5% del Producto Interno Bruto y una porción importante de las exportaciones nacionales.

No obstante, organizaciones ambientales señalan que el fallo de la Corte es claro y aseguran que el Gobierno no lo ha acatado al permitir que la empresa continúe procesando las reservas almacenadas dentro de la concesión minera.

El quinto informe de la auditoría ya había advertido sobre riesgos potenciales relacionados con drenaje ácido de rocas, manejo ambiental, biodiversidad y cumplimiento de compromisos sociales. También señalaba que todavía quedaban pendientes múltiples validaciones documentales y técnicas sobre obligaciones ambientales adquiridas por la empresa.

Mientras el Gobierno espera el cierre definitivo de la auditoría, Moltó aseguró que Panamá mantiene un ambiente atractivo para la inversión internacional y destacó el interés de empresas extranjeras en instalarse en el país. El ministro sostuvo que actualmente existen inversionistas europeos y de otras regiones evaluando proyectos en sectores médicos, logísticos y manufactureros.

Según explicó, la estrategia impulsada por la administración de José Raúl Mulino busca consolidar a Panamá como una plataforma regional de servicios, manufactura y toma de decisiones empresariales, aprovechando ventajas como el Canal de Panamá, el aeropuerto internacional de Tocumen y la conectividad logística del país.

Aunque el Ejecutivo mantiene abierta la posibilidad de tomar decisiones una vez concluya la auditoría, todavía no se conoce cuál sería el mecanismo jurídico que utilizaría el Gobierno en caso de avanzar hacia una eventual reapertura de la mina. Hasta ahora, Mulino ha reiterado públicamente que cualquier salida no implicaría regresar a la Asamblea Nacional para aprobar un nuevo contrato ley, como ocurrió con el acuerdo declarado inconstitucional en 2023.

President Donald Trump is confident that his pick for U.S. Senate in the Lone Star State will easily defeat Democrat James Talarico, whom he called unelectable because «he’s a vegan in Texas.»

Talarico is a prominent state lawmaker who was only recently propelled to the national stage after winning the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas earlier this year. He has been widely lambasted by conservatives for his history of controversial statements, including claiming, «God is non-binary» and that «sex is a spectrum.»  

While speaking with reporters before boarding Air Force One on Wednesday morning, Trump predicted that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who he endorsed this week, will «win very substantially» in the upcoming primary runoff with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

He then forecasted that Paxton would «go on to defeat a very defective candidate that believes in six genders, and he takes hits at Jesus Christ, and he’s wearing a mask six months ago, anybody wearing a mask six months ago doesn’t get it.»

‘GOD IS NON-BINARY’: TEXAS DEM NOMINEE TALARICO’S PAST REMARKS ON ABORTION, RACE AND GENDER DRAW SCRUTINY

He then ripped into Talarico, saying, «And he’s vegan, he’s a vegan in Texas.»

«You can’t get elected as a vegan in Texas,» Trump insisted.

Trump’s comments reference an unearthed 2022 clip of Talarico giving a speech and calling reducing meat consumption «existential.»

«We have heard, I think, heard more and more issues of animal welfare. I think, not just because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s the moral thing to do, but also… necessary to fight climate change,» Talarico said, adding, «It is now existential that we try to reduce our meat consumption, and that we try to respect animals.»

«So, I am proud to say that our campaign has officially become a non-meat campaign,» Talarico continued. «So, we are only buying vegan products from our local vegan businesses.»

Talarico can be seen wearing a mask during the speech.

TEXAS TEEN TELLS CONGRESS HE RECEIVED DEATH THREATS AFTER REVEALING ISLAMIC BOOTH AT HIGH SCHOOL

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico speaks at a campaign rally in Houston on March 2, 2026. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)

His resurfaced comments caused a significant stir in Texas, where beef cattle production is a multibillion-dollar industry and the state’s largest agricultural segment.

«Who wants to tell him that cattle is the #1 commodity in Texas?» the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, wrote on X.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, labeled Talarico a «freak» who wants to «ban BBQ.»

«Vote Republican this November. The steaks couldn’t be higher,» Cornyn wrote.

Amid the backlash, the Talarico campaign blasted out a photo of the candidate wearing a Texas flag shirt and taking a large bite out of a turkey leg.

«Official Statement from James Talarico on Vegan Accusations,» the campaign wrote.

TRUMP BACKS PAXTON IN TEXAS REPUBLICAN SENATE SHOWDOWN WITH CORNYN

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, left, faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a GOP primary runoff election. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Antranik Tavitian/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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In response to Trump’s criticisms on Wednesday, JT Ennis, a spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign, told Fox News Digital that «as costs continue to rise and corruption in Washington runs rampant, James is focused on taking power back for working people and bringing down the price of gas, groceries, and healthcare.»

«James is building a people-powered movement to take on this broken, corrupt political system — not any one politician, not any one political party, but the billionaire mega donors and puppet politicians who have made life more expensive for Texans while enriching themselves,» said Ennis.

A newly active X account bearing former first son Hunter Biden’s name drew mockery from GOP lawmakers and prominent social media personalities after posting its first message Tuesday.

«Your laptop’s reputation precedes you,» Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn wrote in response to the «@HunterBiden» account. 

Fox News Digital reached out to X and Hunter Biden’s art gallery to verify if the account belongs to the former president’s son, but did not receive confirmation. The account has garnered thousands of followers and interactions since Tuesday, when it launched its first message. 

«I’m Hunter Biden. You’ve never actually heard from me,» the account blaring the former first son’s name posted. 

The account’s profile reads: «Artist. Author. Recovery Advocate.»

HUNTER BIDEN HELPED MAKE CAMPAIGN DECISIONS, WAS MAJOR FIXTURE IN FATHER’S ORBIT, AUTHOR SAYS

Hunter, 56, has re-emerged in the public spotlight as he attempts to rebuild his image following years of controversy involving drug addiction, legal troubles and scrutiny surrounding his personal life. 

The X account, @HunterBiden, was first launched in 2013, according to a Fox News Digital review, but posted its first public message on Tuesday. Hunter Biden’s art gallery website is linked to the X account, while the art gallery’s website links to the X account, a YouTube page and a Substack account. 

The tweet sparked a wave of mockery aimed at the younger Biden, as well as a handful of accounts quipping that the former first son would allegedly launch a 2028 run. 

«We’ve heard plenty,» said Republican Indiana Sen. Jim Banks responded to the account. 

«Trust me, we’ve heard and seen ENOUGH from you,» Republican Missouri Rep. Jason Smith chimed in.

Other social media users quickly piled onto the alleged Hunter Biden post, resurfacing past controversies and even floating him as a potential political candidate.

«Oh this oughta be good,» said conservative commentator Nick Sortor in an X response.

«Very real chance he doesn’t remember that we have, in fact, heard from him in hours of podcasting before now,» said Fox News contributor Mary Katharine Ham.

«The 2028 Dark Horse Candidate,» wrote one X user, while another added «He’s running.»

MAMDANI’S WIFE’S ‘STUDENT SKETCHBOOK’ ART IS HUNTER BIDEN EFFECT ALL OVER AGAIN, SAYS US ARTIST

Hunter’s art gallery website links his X account, Youtube, as well as a newly formed Substack which posts the same message. (TheImageDirect.com)

Additionally, Candace Owens tagged the X account in a trailer for her upcoming interview with Hunter Biden, who is continuing a media tour following years of controversy while under the public spotlight. 

The @HunterBiden account reposted the video, writing, «She’s got questions. I’ve got answers. Thursday.»

JOE BIDEN POSES WITH HUNTER’S CHINESE BUSINESS ASSOCIATES IN NEWLY SURFACED PHOTOS: ‘INCREDIBLY DAMNING’

Hunter reportedly moved out of the United States amid mounting legal issues, just a year after his father left the presidential office in 2025.  (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

HUNTER BIDEN’S FINANCIAL WOES REVEALED IN NEW MOTION TO DROP LAWSUIT: ‘SIGNIFICANT DEBT’

Hunter Biden has been involved in a string of controversies spanning his foreign business dealings, tax and gun charges, and scrutiny tied to his family’s political connections.

Hunter received a pardon from President Joe Biden for any offense he «has committed or may have committed» from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024, before his father left office.

In September 2024, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges in California for a scheme evading over $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019. He was also convicted in Delaware in June 2024 for lying on a federal form about his drug use to purchase a firearm in 2018.

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Hunter published a memoir titled «Beautiful Things: A Memoir» in 2021 which details his battle with severe substance abuse and family tragedies from his own perspective.