Insecurity does not give up; authorities blame violence on gangs

Insecurity does not give up; authorities blame violence on gangs

Shot, executed and nine shot in less than 24 hours. Panama is facing a chain of bloody events that seems to overwhelm the authorities in the face of a spiral of violence linked to gangs, each time more intense and widespread.

The recent shooting that occurred early Thursday morning in a nightclub in the Old Town –one of the main tourist attractions in the country–, which left five dead and seven injured, is the latest episode of increased insecurity in which the population.

The Public Ministry (MP) maintains an investigation into the case, the main line of investigation being the war between organized crime groups.

Rafael Baloyes, superior prosecutor for Homicide and Feminicide, explained that the incident began when a person opened fire inside the nightclub, where a concert was taking place, killing four individuals. The companions of the latter responded with shots, killing the shooter, about whom the prosecutor did not specify which criminal group he belonged to.

After what happened, the National Police began an operation in conjunction with the MP, resulting in the capture of two subjects in a vehicle located in the township of Juan Díaz. At the time of the apprehension, it was established that one of the occupants was the brother of one of the victims and that a firearm was found inside the car.

The prosecutor specified yesterday, in a joint press conference with the director of the National Police, John Dornheim, that of the five dead, three were identified as members of the gang known as "Los Galacticos."

Insecurity does not give up; authorities blame violence to the gangs

“This act was committed between gang groups (sic). Although it is true and we regret the death of these people, some of them are already linked to previous (criminal) acts or had been injured by a firearm, a knife, or had served time in the La Joya Penitentiary Center, ”said Dornheim.

So far, seven people have been injured in this case and for the moment they are not related to the attack, said prosecutor Baloyes, who asked the population to refrain from participating in activities "that have a link with criminal groups."

The Police later reported, in a statement, the capture of two people allegedly related to the events in San Felipe.

Inequality, fertile ground for crime

In the opinion of sociologist Roberto Pinock, the increase in these acts of violence – even in daylight in public and crowded areas – are “clear indications” of the advance of “great organized crime” and the difficulties of the State to face them.

“Even with the efforts that the justice system or the Police can make, the country faces this situation with weak institutions. That complicates everything”, points out the also university professor and researcher, who places the poorest young people –in a context of inequality– as the main victims of criminal gangs.

“Organized crime finds fertile ground in inequality. And it is not only that, because there are people with unsatisfied basic needs who are looking for a chance to solve them, but also, the same gangs pressure the new generations to join their ranks, if they do not do so, they are harassed,” Pinock pointed out.

The researcher explains that the gangs work on recruitment, among other things, exploiting these vulnerabilities. “If these kids have no other option to move to another house or another place, given the lack of resources or access to housing away from that environment, they find themselves cornered. So, who defends these youth so that they don't end up in gangs? It is clear that the State is not fulfilling that role of protecting the population," he said.

In the end, reaffirms the sociologist, a vicious circle is created in which the funds that should be allocated to go to the root of the social problems that push young people to join gangs, end up in the last link of the crisis, the repression.

Shot violence

Aside from the San Felipe case, there were four deaths this Friday.

One was the discovery of three bodies in the Guna Nega sector. About which the police chief clarified yesterday that they had no connection with what happened at the disco. However, it was learned that the bodies were handcuffed, so the authorities do not rule out that it is an execution.

After noon on Friday, another person was killed in the La Cabima area by people who shot from a motorcycle.

A day earlier, on Thursday afternoon, a couple with a baby were shot after their car was shot at by two individuals in the Betania area.

On September 9, the Minister of Security, Juan Pino, assured that "there was no insecurity in the country."

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