{"id":14983,"date":"2026-07-25T06:36:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=14983"},"modified":"2026-07-25T08:31:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T13:31:55","slug":"ex-police-chief-confirms-deaths-of-panamanian-soldiers-in-ukraine-conflict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/ex-police-chief-confirms-deaths-of-panamanian-soldiers-in-ukraine-conflict\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Police Chief Confirms Deaths of Panamanian Soldiers in Ukraine Conflict"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At least two ex-Senafront members killed after being deceived into combat roles; families unable to recover bodies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The former director of Panama’s National Border Service (Senafront), retired Commissioner Oriel Ortega, has revealed that at least two former members of the force have died fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war, victims of an international recruitment network that lures Latin American military personnel with false job promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ortega, who led Senafront until 2021, confirmed that these men resigned from the border patrol service earlier this year and traveled to Eastern Europe after receiving what they believed were legitimate job offers. They died on the front lines – and their families have been unable to recover their remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation has grown more alarming with Ortega’s disclosure that a third individual, described as a beloved member of the Special Forces patrols, has been missing for over a year after departing for conflict zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This revelation comes as the government confirmed at least 15 Panamanians have been recruited to fight in the war, and families continue to demand answers about their loved ones’ fates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"senafront
senafront darien | Credit: US embassy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Deception Model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ortega described a systematic pattern of fraud employed by private recruitment companies operating in Panama and across the region. The scheme follows a familiar playbook: recruiters advertise positions in heavy machinery operation, mechanical work, or private security – occupations that appeal to former military personnel with technical skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Upon arrival at their destination, they are forced to take up arms and thrown directly into the line of fire,” Ortega explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The retired commissioner emphasized that this is not an isolated phenomenon but part of a growing global industry of private military recruitment that has intensified during the Ukraine conflict. He noted that similar cases have emerged across Latin America, with documented instances in Colombia, El Salvador, and Cuba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trafficking Hidden Behind Contracts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ortega used strong language to characterize the operation, labeling it a form of human trafficking – a term that carries serious legal implications under Panamanian and international law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The economics of the scheme reveal significant exploitation: Ortega stated that the recruiting networks, which involve both Panamanians and foreign nationals, profit enormously from each recruit. While international companies earn up to $10,000 per person, the recruits receive only between $2,500 and $3,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This disparity, Ortega argued, demonstrates the predatory nature of the operations and the vulnerability of those seeking economic opportunity. Panama’s Public Ministry, he insisted, must investigate the Panamanian recruiters involved, as their actions constitute criminal offenses that are costing citizens’ lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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