{"id":12998,"date":"2026-05-01T19:52:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T00:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=12998"},"modified":"2026-05-01T21:57:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T02:57:23","slug":"via-argentina-looks-like-a-red-light-district-in-holland-residents-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/living\/via-argentina-looks-like-a-red-light-district-in-holland-residents-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Via Argentina looks like a red-light district in Holland – Residents say"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Residents of Bella Vista (Panama)<\/a> have gathered to sound the alarm about a sharp decline in public safety. They describe a neighborhood transformed from a once-peaceful area into a hotspot for crime and disorder. The meeting took place at the local communal board office this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robberies, open drug use, and conflicts linked to nightlife have become daily realities for these residents. Many say the situation has deteriorated steadily over the past two decades. Local authorities and officers from the Panama National Police<\/a> listened as community members from sectors like El Cangrejo detailed what they call an escalation of criminal activity. They voiced frustration over what they perceive as an insufficient response to their complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Via
Via argentina By Editorpana – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=97176308<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Residents Voice Growing Frustration Over Public Safety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For many people living in Bella Vista, the current climate creates more than just fear. It breeds deep frustration. Sibila Ortiz, a longtime resident of El Cangrejo, did not hold back during the meeting. She painted a stark picture of daily life in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“We are more insecure now than we were 20 years ago. Instead of advancing, we have regressed more than 20 years. We are once again full of prostitution, we have children asking for money, we have crack addicts that nobody picks up.” [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ortiz directly challenged the effectiveness of police patrols in the area. She claimed that officers rarely conduct visible rounds. Residents call emergency lines but say help often does not arrive. “V\u00eda Argentina looks like a red-light district in Holland. Everyone is smoking drugs and nobody does anything,” she asserted. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The complaints share common threads across the community. Stolen items from parked vehicles, excessive noise, illegal substance consumption, and chaos near bar and restaurant clusters dominate the list. These problems intensify during nighttime hours when entertainment venues draw crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n