With Executive Decree No. 1, a sentence reduction for common crimes was granted to 88 women from the Cefere, 11 from the Los Algarrobos women's prison in Chiriquí; 12 from the Llano Marín prison in Penonomé, and 8 women from the Nueva Esperanza prison in Colón. Additionally, the decree granted a sentence reduction to 20 men from the Colón prison, 2 from Penonomé, 1 from Las Tablas, 4 from Bocas del Toro, 71 from La Nueva Joya, and 1 from Chiriquí, totaling 335 men benefited by the decrees. The decree also benefits 6 men from La Joya, 6 from the Colón prison, 12 from Penonomé, 6 from Santiago, 28 from the Herrera prison, 17 from Los Santos, 8 from Bocas del Toro, 13 from Aguadulce, 2 from Llano Marín, 18 from La Joyita, 49 from El Renacer, 50 from La Nueva Joya, 18 from Tinajitas, and 3 from Chiriquí, for a total of 355. Meanwhile, with Executive Decree No. 2 of January 7, 2026, freedom is granted through sentence reduction to 21 inmates from Cefere, 1 from Los Algarrobos, for a grand total of 141 women released. In the end, through the issuance of two decrees, this Thursday, January 7, 476 detainees regained their freedom who received sentence reductions and were authorized by the Ministry of Government. At the beginning of his administration, in October 2024, Mulino granted sentence reductions, just as he did in July 2025, benefiting on that occasion the former Ombudsman, Patria Portugal. Minister Dinoska Montalvo was at the Women's Rehabilitation Center (Cefere) greeting the inmates benefited by the measure that is protected under numeral 12 of article 184 of the Constitution, which attributes to the President of the Republic and the respective minister the power to issue sentence reduction decrees.
476 Detainees in Panama Released After Sentence Reduction
The Panamanian government issued two executive decrees, resulting in the release of 476 inmates, including 141 women, after their sentences were reduced. The measure was carried out in accordance with the constitutional powers of the president.
