Curfew Declared in Bocas Starting Monday by President Mulino – Newsroom Panama

President José Raúl Mulino announced that next week a curfew will be imposed in Bocas del Toro, given the situation of criminal actions in the province, a measure adopted by the government in Colón and in the district of San Miguelito. “We are seeing a worrying increase in crime in Bocas del Toro. Although the proximity to the border with Costa Rica could be the influence, this is only speculation,” said Mulino, who stressed the need for a detailed evaluation. Mulino also noted that although he does not yet have a report on the effectiveness of the curfew in San Miguelito and Colón, if significant improvements are not observed in the cooperation and results of the current strategies against organized crime, more drastic measures will be taken.

The president also stressed that there are no definitive results yet from the curfew measures in San Miguelito and Colón, but warned that if progress is not made, actions against crime will be intensified. “I am giving this measure a first chance. If there are no positive results, I will increase the volume and there will be stronger actions,” he asserted. A report released by Mulino highlights the worrying presence of Panamanian gangs working for the Gulf Cartel and the Aragua train, which are intensifying criminal activities, including murders and drug trafficking. The mandate has requested a detailed report from the Minister of Security on the impact of the curfew, which should be delivered to him on Monday. “The situation is critical. We must carefully assess the current results before considering further actions. “I hope things improve, but until I have the final report I cannot confirm whether we are moving forward or not,” Mulino concluded. “I hope they understand that what we want here is to clean up all those cities that do not allow us to live comfortably and feel safe.” For now, there is a curfew in Bocas!