Panama maintains its level in the fight against human trafficking

'Operation Blue Heart': Panama dismantles human trafficking network and rescues three Colombian women Panama remained at Tier 2 in the US State Department's annual human trafficking assessment, which acknowledged an increase in investigations, prosecutions, and convictions during 2025, though it warned of persistent failures in victim identification and protection. The report maintains that the Panamanian government does not fully meet the minimum standards to eradicate this crime, although it makes efforts the report considers significant. The improvement in the criminal response allowed the country to retain its classification, following a conviction for sex trafficking that ended two years without sentences under the specific legislation. The assessment also notes that authorities began adapting their detection and assistance protocols to the amendments approved in December 2024. Those changes eliminated the requirement that a person be transported for the crime of trafficking to be established, which broadened the scope of the law regarding acts of exploitation within the country. Several women were rescued during a judicial operation in which a human trafficking network for sexual exploitation purposes was dismantled. (Europa Press) Panamanian authorities investigated 27 trafficking cases in 2025, compared to 22 recorded the previous year. Two files were linked to sex trafficking and another 25 were classified as unspecified forms of exploitation. In addition, proceedings were initiated against three suspects and cases already open against at least 10 defendants continued. The Judiciary convicted one person responsible for sex trafficking to 12 years in prison. In 2024, no convictions had been handed down for this crime. Article 456 of the Penal Code provides for prison sentences of 15 to 20 years when the victim is an adult and 20 to 30 years if the victim is a minor. Despite this progress, the report observes that some defendants accused of sex trafficking were charged with different crimes, carrying lesser penalties. It also notes that, although the 2024 reform enabled the prosecution of cases without displacement of victims, Panama did not report investigations for internal trafficking. During the same period, institutions investigated 262 cases under child sexual exploitation laws. Four were classified as sex trafficking of minors. There were 25 indictments and 12 convictions for child sexual exploitation crimes, although the document indicates that it was not established how many of those files fell within the international definition of human trafficking. The government also did not report investigations or convictions of public officials who may have collaborated with exploitation networks. The authorities participated, according to press publications cited by the report, in an operation coordinated by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) against high-priority fugitives, including suspected traffickers. DIJ and INTERPOL agents participated in Operation Blue Heart to dismantle the trafficking network (Courtesy: National Police of Panama). The anti-trafficking commission identified and confirmed four victims during 2025, while another 12 people initially detected in 2024 later obtained that status. All confirmed victims were foreigners. Among them were seven women sexually exploited; three men and three women subjected to forced labor; and three women affected by unspecified forms of trafficking. They came from Venezuela, Colombia, China, Brazil, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. The state model provides for an initial identification by front-line agents and a subsequent technical evaluation by the commission. That body can first grant a preliminary status and then confirm the victim. The report warns that the process can take months and that, in certain cases, affected people wait even longer to receive an official determination. The authorities did not identify any Panamanian victims nor formally recognize as trafficking victims minors whose cases were investigated for sexual exploitation. The lack of state presence in indigenous comarcas also hindered the detection of incidents in remote areas, where restrictions on access to justice and basic services increase the vulnerability of the population. A young woman with her face hidden in shadow illustrates the testimony of a victim of trafficking and domestic servitude. (Illustrative image Infobae) The government offered services to all victims identified in 2025, although the majority declined them. Five sexually exploited women received unspecified assistance. The previous year, 15 victims had accessed immediate care. Available resources included basic medical care, psychological support, and legal counseling. Some people were referred to shelters administered mainly by civil society organizations, while others received lodging in hotels. There were also repatriations funded by those organizations. However, Panama does not have shelters exclusively for trafficking victims and overall shelter capacity is limited. Victims of labor exploitation, men, and those who live in or were exploited in rural areas faced greater obstacles in accessing state protection. FILE PHOTO: An Ecuadorian migrant clasps her hands as she recalls how she was kidnapped and a victim of sex trafficking. REUTERS/Maye-E Wong The law reformed in 2024 provides that certain civil organizations may obtain certification to provide direct short-term services. The report notes that the Panamanian government did not detail measures to expand those partnerships. The special fund for victims had a balance of USD 10,000 in 2025. Foreign victims can obtain a temporary humanitarian visa from preliminary identification. After formal confirmation, they can apply for temporary residence, renewable for up to six years, and a work permit. During 2025, three victims obtained residence and two received work permits. A court ordered the person convicted of sex trafficking to compensate two victims, although neither received the money during the year. The document also questions that formal identification depends on specialized prosecutors within criminal cases, a situation that can in practice force victims to participate in judicial processes to access certain services. A volume of the Penal Code of Panama and a wooden gavel are displayed on a surface, illustrating fundamental tools in the Panamanian legal field. (Illustrative image Infobae) The report describes a scenario in which traffickers exploit nationals and foreigners in Panamanian territory, in addition to recruiting Panamanians for their exploitation in other countries. Foreign women, especially those from South America and Central America, appear among the main identified victims of sex trafficking. Children face risks of forced labor in domestic and agricultural tasks, sexual exploitation, and criminal activities, including drug trafficking. Indigenous women from rural regions near the border are also vulnerable to forced labor and sexual exploitation. Venezuelan and Nicaraguan migrants crossing the country toward the United States or returning to South America constitute another exposed group. Panamanian and foreign men have been subjected to forced labor in construction, agriculture, mining, restaurants, and street vending through debts, deception, movement restrictions, and other forms of coercion. The assessment also mentions complaints about fraudulent offers directed at Panamanian women between 18 and 22 years old for professional training programs linked to military drone production centers in Russia. According to press publications cited, workers at those centers faced surveillance, risky conditions, contract changes, salary defaults, and recruitment fees. Five Colombian women were rescued - credit @policiadepanama/X The government maintained an interinstitutional commission and the National Action Plan 2022-2027. It also developed awareness campaigns together with international organizations and NGOs. It did not fund a dedicated telephone line for trafficking complaints, although it operated the general National Police line and contributed funds to a portal administered by a civil organization that receives anonymous reports about crimes. The report states that the authorities did not take actions to reduce the demand for commercial sexual services. The updated law requires the national commission to submit an annual report on the plan's progress, an obligation that was not fulfilled. The government regulated employment agencies, although it did not report sanctions against companies for fraudulent recruitment. In addition, work permits for foreigners remain tied to a specific employer, a condition that can make it difficult to leave abusive relationships.