A retired American lawyer opened fire last Tuesday on environmental activists who had blocked the highway in Panama.

A circulated video shows lawyer Kenneth Darlington, 77 years old, who was previously convicted of illegal possession of a firearm, arguing with the protesters before pulling a gun from his pocket and starting to remove the roadblock.

For his part, Eliser Plesset, the lawyer of the two victims, both teachers, said that Darlington is accused of murder and illegal possession of a weapon.

Local media reported that Darlington, born in Panama's Colón province, was trying to drive back to the country's interior after carrying out various tasks in the city of La Correa when he encountered the roadblock.

He also approached the blockade and asked about the leaders of the protest, and was told that there were no leaders. He reportedly said, "I do not want to talk to the women.. I want to talk to the men."

According to the complaint, some men approached Darlington, then he opened fire on them. The "TVN" channel reported that he shot 3 men, and the third is still in the hospital. He is alleged to have been heard saying: "This ends this problem."

Darlington is scheduled to appear in court in Panama City on November 15.

These deaths also come at a time when protests organized by thousands of Panamanians in the streets over the past weeks due to the new mining contract signed with the Canadian mining company "First Quantum Minerals," have led to wider discontent with the government.

The roadblocks set up by the protesters caused daily losses of up to 80 million dollars to companies, according to the Panama Association of Business Managers, with schools across the country being closed for more than a week and more than 150,000 medical appointments lost.

Officials have also urged people to end the protests, despite pledges from construction and teachers' unions to continue taking to the streets until the "First Quantum Minerals" contract is canceled.

The new contract, agreed upon on October 20, was signed into law by the Panama government, granting the company mining rights for 20 years, with an option to extend for another 20 years, in exchange for 375 million dollars in annual revenues to Panama.