Panamanian Minister of Commerce and Industries, Julio Molt贸, defended his recommendation of Astrid 脕brego Gonz谩lez for the position of Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade. 脕brego's previous work for Cobre Panam谩, a mining project, sparked concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Molt贸 acknowledged 脕brego's past employment as a senior lawyer for Cobre Panam谩 but denied any conflict of interest. He highlighted her qualifications and experience in both public and private sectors. However, critics like former independent deputy Juan Diego V谩squez raised concerns about potential conflicts.
Molt贸 dismissed these concerns, emphasizing 脕brego's commitment to Panama and asserting that mining matters are handled separately by him and are not under the jurisdiction of the Vice-Ministry of Foreign Trade. He attributed the criticism to political maneuvering and rejected allegations of favoring mining interests.
The controversy unfolds amid the Panamanian government's efforts to determine the future of the Cobre Panam谩 mining project, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared its contract with First Quantum Minerals unconstitutional.