What Happened
A criminologist in Panama warned that the country’s contract-killing problem has changed over time, moving from operations led by foreign actors to violence carried out by local gangs. The warning points to a more entrenched criminal landscape in which youth involvement and neighborhood-based groups play a larger role.
The expert also criticized the state’s response, arguing that the lack of opportunities and the absence of prevention programs for young people at risk of social exclusion are helping fuel the problem.
Why It Matters
The shift matters because it suggests a deeper domestic challenge rather than an imported one. When violent networks become rooted in local communities, they can be harder to dismantle and may spread more quickly through existing social and territorial ties.
In Panama, concerns about youth vulnerability, gang recruitment, and organized crime have long been tied to public safety debates. A rise in local participation in sicariato would raise pressure on authorities to strengthen prevention, policing, and social support before more young people are pulled into criminal activity.
State Response and Prevention
The warning places renewed attention on the role of public policy in reducing violence. Education, job access, community programs, and targeted prevention efforts are often seen as key tools for keeping at-risk adolescents away from gangs and the wider criminal economy.
By pointing to failures in opportunity and prevention, the criminologist underscored that enforcement alone may not be enough. Addressing the conditions that make recruitment possible is part of any long-term strategy to curb contract killings and gang violence in Panama.
Broader Context
Panama continues to face public security challenges linked to organized crime and gang activity. As criminal groups adapt, authorities and analysts are increasingly focused on how violence evolves inside the country rather than arriving only from abroad.
The warning reflects a broader concern: if local gangs are taking a larger role in sicariato, the problem is no longer only about criminal actors, but also about social conditions that allow them to grow.