Comarca
History
The presence of the Naso people in the mountain and river landscapes of western Bocas del Toro predates the current border between Panama and Costa Rica. For generations, their communities organized around the rivers and forests of the Talamanca region, the source of the cultural importance of the Tjër River and of enduring institutions of their own, including the Naso king. The pursuit of legally recognized territory took decades. Debates over development and territory included the conflict around the Bonyic hydroelectric project, which concluded in 2015 with a mediated agreement between the company and affected families. The comarca bill was approved by the National Assembly in 2018 and challenged by the Executive; in 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the contested provisions were not unconstitutional and reaffirmed the state's obligation to guarantee collective lands for Indigenous peoples. Law 188 of December 4, 2020 finally created the comarca: 160,616 hectares, of which 125,141 lie within La Amistad International Park and 21,722 within the Palo Seco Protected Forest, under co-management and conservation arrangements. The law recognized collective ownership, Sieyic as administrative center and traditional governance structures such as the Naso General Council. Administrative consolidation, practical boundary demarcation and initiatives linking community tourism, culture and conservation continue today.