An update on what I found in the documents so far to address my doubts as explained above:
- Overall, the plan seems to work towards a
Reformulation - a fully new WHS that will incorporate parts of earlier one(s). They will do it in 2 stages, and what is now nominated in 2024 (and got a Referral advice due to lacking legal protection) is stage 1.
- The reformulation idea stems from this
mission report from 2013, which explores the possibilities around the Panama Viejo/Historic District of Panama WHS after the completion of the Cinta Costera project with a maritime viaduct and other elements crossing the archaeological parts of Panama city.
- Part of stage 1 of this reformulation into a broader Trans-Isthmic Colonial Route also is San Lorenzo, which is already part of another WHS.
- In stage 2, Portobelo is foreseen to be included, which forms the other WHS together with San Lorenzo.
- Nowhere in the docs of Portobelo/San Lorenzo (a site that has been in danger for a long time already due to poor conservation) I can find a reference to what the inclusion of these 2 forts into the reformulated Panama WHS means. It seems logical that it will disappear as a separate WHS?
Overall, progress is really slow. The state of conservation of the components is slowly improving, but still pretty bad for Portobelo for example. A revamped WHS will not change that.