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Fear of Escaped Inmates Reduces School Attendance in Panama Este
🇵🇦 Panama /Culture & Society

Fear of Escaped Inmates Reduces School Attendance in Panama Este

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Low student attendance was reported in several schools in Panama Este due to fear of escaped prisoners from La Joyita penitentiary.
  • Parents cited concerns about security in the area and the lack of sufficient police presence at schools.
  • Authorities have increased police surveillance around educational centers and are actively searching for the approximately 20 fugitives still at large.

Fear of escaped inmates from the La Joyita penitentiary has led to a significant drop in student attendance at schools in Panama Este. Educational and police authorities confirmed that parents are keeping their children home due to security concerns in the area.

Parents felt a bit dissatisfied because they considered that there was not enough security to send their children. That was the main concern.

— Susana JiménezThe director of Escuela Paso Blanco N.° 1 explaining parents' reasons for keeping their children home.

At Escuela Paso Blanco N.° 1, teachers and staff arrived for work, but found classrooms nearly empty. School director Susana Jiménez explained that parents were worried about the presence of fugitives in nearby areas and the perceived lack of adequate security at the school. "Parents felt a bit dissatisfied because they considered that there was not enough security to send their children. That was the main concern," she stated.

From now on, we have the support of the National Police. The call is for parents to send their children to classes because they will have the necessary security.

— Susana JiménezThe school director assuring the community of enhanced security measures.

In response, the National Police have increased their presence and surveillance around educational institutions in the vicinity of the prison. Walter Stanziola, head of the Panama Este Police Zone, assured that special operations are underway to guarantee the safety of students, teachers, and parents. He emphasized that no fugitives have been detected within the school premises, despite some reports of individuals loitering in nearby sectors.

We have reinforced police presence through our units and the Child and Adolescent Police service to guarantee the safety of students, teachers, and parents.

— Walter StanziolaThe head of the Panama East Police Zone detailing the security reinforcement measures.

Authorities are still searching for approximately 20 inmates who remain at large following the escape. The search operations are being conducted in urban, residential, and rural areas of Panama Este, including mountainous regions and areas near rivers. The police are urging parents to send their children back to school, promising necessary security measures are in place.

We have received some alerts about people supposedly loitering in nearby sectors, but so far we have not located any escapees within schools or colleges.

— Walter StanziolaThe police official addressing concerns about fugitives being near educational centers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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