The Municipality of La Chorrera will be the first in the province of West Panama to implement a digital guide for the transport and slaughter of livestock, with the aim of curbing cattle theft affecting producers in the area. This digital guide is the result of joint work between the La Chorrera Municipality, the National Cattlemen's Association (ANAGAN), and the Public Ministry. Prosecutor Anabellis Jaén, from the First Section of Crimes against Economic Assets, explained that this digital document will allow for the management of key data to control and reduce cattle theft. "There will now be greater control over the traceability of animals transported from La Chorrera to farms, slaughterhouses, or auctions," stated Prosecutor Jaén. The guide will feature a QR code, enabling authorities to verify information about the transported livestock in seconds. This detail is vital for the criminal investigations being carried out by the Public Ministry. According to the Public Ministry's Statistics Center, between January and July 2024, 22 cattle thefts were reported, while in 2025, in the same period, the figure rose to 55, a jump of 159.1%. Vice Mayor Kleber Delgado pointed out that ranchers will be able to use this digital guide through a virtual portal accessible on their cell phones. For now, the physical guides issued by justices of the peace will remain in effect, at least until the transition is complete. In this first phase, the digital document will only be used by the Municipality of La Chorrera, but the idea is that, along with ANAGAN, other municipalities in West Panama will also adopt it.
