Femicides in Panama surge 86% in first half of 2026

Panama has witnessed a stark increase in femicides during the first six months of 2026, with the number of cases rising by 86% to 13, compared to seven during the same period in 2025. The violence has escalated dramatically, with attempted femicides also surging by 89% to 17 cases.

Official statistics from the Public Ministry reveal that an additional eight women died violently, a 14% increase from the previous year. The majority of these tragic incidents occurred in the metropolitan area and its surroundings, including Panama province, the district of San Miguelito, known for high crime rates, and the adjacent province of Panama Oeste.

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without mediating words, he inflicted (on the woman) at least about four wounds in the area of the face and head that caused her death (...) with a bladed weapon (machete)

Victims of femicide were predominantly women aged between 18 and 44 years old. Firearms were the weapon of choice in six of the violent deaths, highlighting a dangerous trend. Among the recorded cases is the murder of a prosecutor by her partner and the brutal killing of a 41-year-old woman by her ex-partner with a machete.

Activists are raising alarms not only about the rising numbers but also the extreme violence accompanying these crimes. They criticize authorities for failing to prioritize the issue and offering inadequate explanations for the escalating crisis. Last year, Panama recorded 20 femicides, a decrease from the previous year, but the current trend indicates a deeply concerning reversal.

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in the face of the escalation of femicides, increasingly violent, the authorities try to offer 'explanations that do not make any sense in the face of the reality that women are experiencing'.