In the province of Colón, Panama, criminal gangs are applying control methods learned from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro: territorial control, ports, drug sales points, extortion, corrupt authorities and police, and technology like drones and 3D printers for weapons to impose their power. However, no major changes are observed in imposing law and order. The ports, vital to the economy, continue to operate, and the gangs have gained more territory and control over large sectors of the population. In Colón province, several security installations operate, including the police officers' school and bases like Fort Sherman, where joint training exercises are held with the U.S. army. Yet, no significant changes are seen. Criminals impose their law, and the police lose control of a society subdued by gangs. To achieve dominance in the local drug trade and self-governance, criminals rely on their relationships with authorities, political, judicial, and police institutions. The factors present in Colón are: State weakness, social fracture, and corruption. Violence in Colón has become intrinsically part of its society. Today, an increasing armed conflict is developing in Colón. The number of violent incidents, crimes with dead and injured, and assaults in the last 5 years add up to scandalous figures that bring us closer to scenarios like the Brazilian favelas. When other priorities exist while the reality is that crime controls the province. Prioritizing only the national interest. Local authorities are not committed to the pacification effort of Colón. This variant is different from the Brazilian favelas. The phase of organized crime power in Colón grows without the Panamanian state's power stopping it. It is necessary to develop all actions to elevate police work. There is no comparison with the hitmen; the murderers live forever committing crimes without fear of losing their lives. An old police thesis functions: 'Let them kill each other.' It is not just local sales, it is power over the ports. Results of armed conflicts due to armed conflicts between gangs. They are based on doing business. We cannot continue as before, trying to manage scenarios with positive images, but that in reality seem to have other hidden motivations for private benefit. Damage control: 1. Create a single Colón Task Force (FT) to stabilize and recompose its social and cultural fabric. The popular saying is applied: 'Light for the street, darkness for the house.' This is a reflection of the lack of coherence in the policies of the Ministry of Security (MINSEG).
