A defense and security analyst, Major Felipe Camargo A., warns of a high-risk scenario for Panama following the announcement of a possible U.S. military offensive against the main cocaine-producing countries: Venezuela and Colombia. The expert suggests that an open war on drugs in South American territory would have direct collateral effects on Panama, where criminal networks could relocate and drug trafficking-related violence could increase. Camargo recalls that under President Gustavo Petro's administration, coca production reached historic levels: 3,708 tons in 2023, a 34% increase from the previous year. Colombia remains the world's epicenter of drug trafficking with 253,000 hectares cultivated, equivalent to 67% of the global total, followed by Peru (25%) and Bolivia (8%), according to United Nations figures. "For the remainder of Petro's term, everything indicates that the upward trend in coca production will continue," the analyst warns. As Ecuador intensifies its military fight against drug trafficking, criminal organizations would seek new, more permeable territories to operate. Camargo says Panama appears as the most logical point for their relocation due to its geographical position and international logistical role. "No country controls the production or commercialization of cocaine; it is transnational criminal bands that dominate world trade," he emphasizes. The analyst projects an increase in drug trafficking and the presence of international gangs in Panamanian territory, especially in Colón, whose ports could become the scene of violent disputes over control of the routes. "Colón and its ports will be battlefields for gangs seeking to control them," he warned with an alarmed tone. Camargo concludes his analysis with a direct message to the authorities: Panama must prepare for a new wave of crime if U.S. military operations on the continent are confirmed. "Get ready for bad times," he sentenced.
