Three homicides recorded in less than ten days in different points of East Panama have set off alarms among residents and specialists, who warn that these events may not be isolated, but rather part of a criminal dynamic linked to gangs, drug trafficking, and conflicts within the criminal world.
The most recent case occurred this Thursday morning in the Santa Isabel neighborhood, in the Pacora district, where a man was murdered inside a dwelling by hooded individuals who subsequently fled.
According to police information, the victim had recently been released from La Joya penitentiary and allegedly had received previous threats. This homicide adds to the murder of a taxi driver that occurred on Wednesday, March 11, in the La Siesta de Tocumen area, when hitmen on motorcycles opened fire on the vehicle, causing the driver's death and injuring another person.
Days earlier, on March 3, another violent incident shocked the residents of Pacora, when authorities found the completely charred body of a person inside a burned-out vehicle in the Las Garzas area.
Social Exclusion and Gangs
For sociologist José Lasso, director of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Panama, these events must be analyzed within a broader social context. As he explained, many homicides in peripheral urban areas are related to the participation of young people in dynamics of organized crime, particularly in activities linked to drug trafficking, micro-trafficking, and gangs that operate in specific territories.
«The participants of these structures often come from contexts of social exclusion, family disintegration, and community violence, which generates high levels of resentment and a break with social norms,» he noted.
Lasso stated that areas such as East Panama have experienced accelerated urban growth that has not always been accompanied by sufficient institutional presence, basic services, or formal employment opportunities.
In his view, when violence becomes recurrent in a territory, the community begins to live under a constant feeling of fear and insecurity.
«There is a risk that certain areas will fall under dynamics where the rules of organized crime end up being imposed,» he warned.
Signs of a Criminal Dynamic
From a criminological point of view, specialist Álvaro Menéndez believes that investigators must analyze common patterns among cases when several homicides occur in the same area. Among the elements that are usually examined are the modus operandi, the victims' backgrounds, and the possible participation of individuals previously linked to criminal activities in the area.
Menéndez explained that the use of hooded individuals in armed attacks or the burning of vehicles after a crime usually responds to attempts to avoid the identification of the perpetrators or to destroy evidence.
«In the 21st century, surveillance cameras and cell phones allow for the easier identification of those responsible, so many criminals try to hide their identity or eliminate evidence,» he indicated.
The criminologist also noted that it is not uncommon for people who have had previous conflicts within criminal structures or gangs to later become victims of selective homicides.
From his perspective, the recent events could be part of a broader phenomenon.
«From a criminological point of view, these cases can be signs of a criminal dynamic linked to disputes within drug trafficking or settling scores,» he affirmed.
A Worrying Phenomenon
While authorities keep the investigations into the three homicides open, specialists agree that violence in peripheral urban areas requires not only police responses but also public policies aimed at social prevention.
For the experts, the combination of social exclusion, disordered urban growth, and the presence of criminal structures can turn certain territories into focal points of violence if not addressed comprehensively.
The question that remains open is whether these events represent isolated episodes or the reflection of a criminal dynamic that is beginning to consolidate in East Panama.
