Magdalena Martinez has lived next to the Indio River all her life, but a planned dam aimed at shielding the Panama Canal from drought now threatens to swallow her home.

The 49-year-old is one of hundreds of residents opposed to a new artificial lake that would feed the vital interoceanic waterway at the center of diplomatic tensions with the United States.

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.