Thousands of Nicaraguans held a protest over the planned formation of the US$50 billion Nicaragua Canal that began construction in December, 2014, led by the Chinese-led Hong Kong Nicaragua Development (HKND) Group, according to the BBC.
In a previous article by PTI, it was reported that the Nicaragua Canal could have potentially harmful effects on the water sources belonging to Nicaraguan communities, as well as on various forms marine life.
According to the BBC, most of the protestors, who were said to be farmers, accused the Nicaraguan president of selling the country to the Chinese.
The Nicaragua Canal project has received much scrutiny in recent months, with the CEO of the Panama Canal authority saying that HKND will not receive any funding from the Chinese authorities.
Despite funding concerns, there could be room for financial investment following the recent delivery of the canal’s feasibility study, which shows ‘potential benefits for the environment and the people of Nicaragua’.
In other news, the Nicaragua Canal’s rival Panama, has recently finished testing for the first phase of flooding at the Panama Canal, ready for its opening in early 2016.
