{"id":13477,"date":"2026-05-21T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=13477"},"modified":"2026-05-20T15:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T20:16:12","slug":"panamas-new-prison-will-house-2500-inmates-and-produces-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/investments\/panamas-new-prison-will-house-2500-inmates-and-produces-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama\u2019s New Prison Will House 2500 Inmates and Produces Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

Panama’s government will launch a tender for a new prison in the central provinces<\/strong> within two weeks. The facility, valued at 172 million dollars, will be built in the Divisa sector on land owned by the Ministry of Agricultural Development. The project aims to expand the Panama prison system<\/a> capacity in the interior of the country.<\/p>\n

Minister of Government Dinoska Montalvo confirmed the bidding documents are ready. The public tender could be published in approximately two weeks. Construction will take 36 months. The prison will hold nearly 2,500 inmates and includes five years of maintenance.<\/p>\n

\"vegetable
vegetable farming<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New Facility Focuses on Rehabilitation and Food Production<\/h2>\n

The prison was designed for more than just custody. Montalvo explained the center will promote rehabilitation and resocialization. Inmates will have workshops and areas where they can participate in food production. The government is analyzing whether the selected area maintains appropriate distance from populated sectors. Territorial aspects between Cocl\u00e9, Herrera and Los Santos provinces are under evaluation. Construction remains planned for the Divisa Panama location<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This center was conceived not only to guard the prison population but also to drive rehabilitation and resocialization processes. Inmates will have workshops and areas where they can participate in food production. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Montalvo made these statements during a budget transfer hearing. The government requested 1,259,560 dollars for the new Colon prison project and pending 2025 payments. Only 5.5 percent of that contract has been disbursed so far. The minister acknowledged a time extension will be necessary. The Colon project started in 2022 but has barely begun effective execution.<\/p>\n

\"life<\/p>\n

Colon Prison Faces Land Invasion and Population Challenges<\/h2>\n

The government initially sought to completely separate male and female populations at the Colon facility. Officials also wanted to change the location because the land was invaded. The prison would sit too close to the civilian population. Relocation has not been possible due to economic impacts on the country. Montalvo said moving the facility would cause significant financial harm to Panama. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n

The central provinces<\/strong> prison represents a major investment in prison rehabilitation programs<\/a>. Officials want to transform how the system handles incarceration. The facility will include spaces for education and vocational training. Inmates will learn agricultural skills through hands-on food production work.<\/p>\n

The Minister<\/a> emphasized the project’s dual purpose. Security remains paramount but rehabilitation is equally important. The government wants inmates to return to society as productive citizens. This approach aligns with modern correctional practices seen across Latin America.<\/p>\n

Construction timelines appear aggressive for such a large facility. The 36-month build period will require efficient project management. The five-year maintenance contract ensures long-term operational stability. Officials have not announced which companies might bid on the project.<\/p>\n

Panama’s prison population has strained existing facilities for years. Overcrowding remains a persistent challenge across the system. The new prison will relieve pressure on facilities in the capital region. Inmates from central provinces<\/strong> will serve sentences closer to their home communities.<\/p>\n

The Divisa location offers strategic advantages for the prison system. The site sits near major transportation routes connecting the central provinces<\/strong>. Access for families visiting inmates will be easier than traveling to Panama City. Local economies may benefit from construction jobs and ongoing operational staffing needs.<\/p>\n

Environmental and social impact studies are still being finalized. Officials must ensure the prison does not disrupt nearby communities. Water and utility infrastructure at the site requires assessment. The Ministry of Government is coordinating with other agencies on these evaluations.<\/p>\n

Montalvo’s announcement signals the government’s commitment to infrastructure spending. The 172 million dollar price tag makes this one of Panama’s largest current construction projects. Prison reform advocates have pushed for better facilities and rehabilitation opportunities. This project attempts to address both security concerns and human rights standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Panama’s government will launch a tender for a new prison in the central provinces within two weeks. The facility, valued at 172 million dollars, will be built in the Divisa sector on land owned by the Ministry of Agricultural Development. The project aims to expand the Panama prison system capacity in the interior of the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13476,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36,31],"tags":[4411,4413,4412],"class_list":["post-13477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-investments","category-crime-safety","tag-panama-government-prepares-million","tag-panama-prison-system","tag-prison-tender"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13477"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13479,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13477\/revisions\/13479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}