BRIEFS. transportation

Governemnt has no plans for Darién road

The Ministro de Obras Públicas, Benjamín Colamarco, said yesterday that there is no government project to build a road to Tapón del Darién, the jungle area that divides Colombia from Panama. "Our project is limited only to the rehabilitation of the Pan-American Highway to Yaviza. Colombia's interests are their own: we are only ensuring the interests of Panama," he said. Colomarco's statement came after the Colombian government stated in a meeting with members of the Plan Puebla Panama, that opening the road to Tapón de Darién is an "obligation."

The position of the Colombian government has raised concerns among environmental groups, who fear that construction in the area could threaten its biodiversity.

"Colombia is seeking to protect its interests, but the Panamanian government must protect its interests," said Raisa Banfield of the Centro de Incidencia Ambiental.

Ministra de Asuntos Ambientales, Ligia Castro de Doens, said no information has been submitted to her office about any proposed road construction in the area, which was declared a national park in 1980.

To build the road, the existing highway would need to be extended 58 kilometers into the Darién and another 50 kilometers into Colombian territory.