Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced a new curfew will take effect next week, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Source: AP)

Panama had previously implemented the order in Colón province and San Miguelito city since September 2, with the aim of suppressing drug gangs such as Clan del Golfo and el Tren de Aragua.

President Mulino warned that if this measure does not work, the government will take stronger action to eliminate criminal gangs, especially to prevent minors from getting involved in the drug trade. He called for the cooperation of the public, asking families not to allow their children to go out at night during the curfew.

Earlier, on August 29, President Mulino asked the Panamanian Air Force (Senan) and the Customs Service to increase patrols at airports, seaports and border crossings, including Tocumen International Airport. On August 28, Panamanian police arrested at least 18 members of the "Cochos Sin Terror" gang during a drug crackdown in the Las Mañanitas area, east of the capital Panama City.

Gangs are now taking control of the country’s prison system, turning it into a haven for criminal activity due to overcrowding of up to 60 percent and poor living conditions, according to Panamanian authorities. Preliminary statistics show that the Central American country’s prison population increased by nearly 50 percent between 2012 and 2024, with an incarceration rate of 556 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants.