{"id":17274,"date":"2026-09-24T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=17274"},"modified":"2026-09-24T10:13:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T15:13:12","slug":"79-surge-in-gang-violence-challenges-panamas-safe-image","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/featured\/79-surge-in-gang-violence-challenges-panamas-safe-image\/","title":{"rendered":"79% Surge in Gang Violence Challenges Panama’s Safe Image"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Panama recorded 423 homicides through September 13, 2026, a marginal increase of ten cases compared to the same period last year, but the data reveals a sharp rise in gang-<\/a>violence that contrasts with the country’s broader reputation as one of Latin America’s safer destinations<\/a>. Firearms were used<\/a> in 356 of the 415 intentional killings documented by the National Integrated Criminal Statistics System<\/a> (SIEC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most striking shift came in homicides attributed to gang activity, which jumped from 38 cases in 2025 to 68 this year, a 79 percent spike. Officials confirmed the figures in the SIEC’s weekly executive summary, which tracks intentional and unintentional homicides across all provinces and districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"gang
Panama’s overall homicide rate remains below the threshold that international organizations typically associate with crisis-level violence, and the country continues to rank among the safer nations in Central America. Gang violence By InfoB.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gang-Violence Concentrates in Capital District and Col\u00f3n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Panama district led all jurisdictions with 183 intentional homicides, followed by San Miguelito with 74 and Col\u00f3n with 68. While Col\u00f3n reduced its total by 15 percent compared to 2025, it still posted the highest provincial rate in the country at 23.1 homicides per 100,000 residents. Panama province followed with a rate of 15.7 per 100,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The national homicide rate stood at 8.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure that remains below many regional neighbors. For context, several Central American and Caribbean nations consistently report rates above 20 or 30 per 100,000, placing Panama in a comparatively moderate category despite localized spikes. The SIEC classifies both Panama province and Col\u00f3n at the moderate rate level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the capital, specific corridors drove the numbers. Pedregal recorded 16 homicides, 24 de Diciembre had 15, and Tocumen tallied ten. In the northern sector, Chilibre accumulated 18 cases and Ernesto C\u00f3rdoba Campos registered 15. Anc\u00f3n led the western sector with 12, followed by Calidonia with seven and R\u00edo Abajo with six.<\/p>\n\n\n\n