Panama City, Panama – The government minister has issued a stark warning to inmates who fled La Joyita prison. Dinoska Montalvo told escapees to return voluntarily to the facility. She stated that authorities will continue operations until every fugitive is captured.
“The safest place you have right now is the prison. Return,” Montalvo said during an update on the massive prison escape. [Translated from Spanish] The mass breakout occurred earlier this week. It triggered a widespread manhunt across the country. Montalvo emphasized that restoring public calm is the government’s top priority.
“The State will find you no matter what. Even one missing inmate represents a danger to the country, and we will find them,” she asserted. [Translated from Spanish]
Recapture Numbers Climb as Search Intensifies
Official counts show significant progress in the dragnet. Montalvo confirmed that 148 inmates have been recaptured. Three escapees have died. This brings the total of accounted fugitives to 151 people. Authorities also received reports of four additional inmates who surrendered voluntarily. Those four will not enter the official tally until they are formally processed back into the prison system.
According to the Ministry of Government, approximately 44 individuals remain unaccounted for. The Panama prison system faces intense scrutiny over how the breakout happened. Officials are working around the clock to close the gap.
‘There Will Be a Before and After’
Montalvo described the evasion as a serious incident. She predicted it will mark a turning point for Panama’s correctional facilities. “Unfortunately, June 1 has a day before and a day after what happened. Everything changes,” she said. [Translated from Spanish]
The minister promised a complete transformation of the prison system. New measures will strengthen security. Authorities will target corruption structures operating inside the prisons. “They will feel the weight of a State that has been challenged,” Montalvo declared. [Translated from Spanish]
Investigations Target Prison Staff and Procedures
Multiple investigations are now active. The Professional Responsibility Directorate of the Security Ministry leads the probe. The Public Ministry is also investigating the three deaths that occurred inside the prison. Montalvo explained that officials want to understand how a routine transfer procedure triggered a massive breakout.
All staff members who were on duty during the incident face investigation. Administrative moves and dismissals have already happened within the La Joyita prison system. “What happened is no small thing, it is serious. We will take this to the very end,” Montalvo emphasized. [Translated from Spanish]
The minister added that all responsibilities will be investigated. Administrative decisions will be evaluated once inquiries conclude. Reports will be presented to the president of the Republic. Government Minister Dinoska Montalvo has made clear that the era of lax security is over.