Veraguas Merchants Express Discontent with Police Actions

During the meeting, several merchants expressed their discontent over the poor communication between the National Police and the community, denouncing a lack of follow-up on filed complaints and an apparent unwillingness to handle cases. Fulvia de Vargas, representative of the commercial guild, pointed out that the situation has become concerning for many business owners who claim to be constant victims of crime without receiving a timely response from authorities. They also questioned the scarce police presence in commercial areas considered vulnerable, a situation that, in their opinion, facilitates the actions of criminals operating with total freedom. At this gathering, merchants voiced their concern about the persistence of thefts, robberies, and muggings that continue to affect individuals and commercial establishments, mainly in the Santiago district. The merchants insisted on the urgency of reinforcing patrols and establishing direct coordination channels with authorities. The growing insecurity in the province of Veraguas was bluntly exposed during a recent meeting between members of the Chamber of Commerce and the National Police chief, Jaime Fernández. According to them, on multiple occasions, victims do not receive information on the progress of their complaints, which increases the feeling of abandonment and impunity. Although the National Police director listened to the proposals and committed to evaluating strategies to improve security, the commercial sector made it clear that it expects concrete actions and visible results, warning that the lack of effective responses continues to affect economic activity and the tranquility of the Veraguense population. He indicated that, while there are citizen security programs and the idea of installing surveillance systems, these must be used effectively to curb criminal activities.