Panama facilitates repatriation of citizen killed in Russia-Ukraine war

Panama's government is actively working to repatriate the remains of a Panamanian citizen who died while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. Carlos Guevara Mann, Panama's Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation, confirmed the fatality and expressed condolences to the family.

Guevara Mann used the incident to strongly reiterate the government's plea for Panamanians to refrain from engaging in foreign armed conflicts. "Our vocation is a vocation of peace, not a vocation of war, much less to participate in these types of situations," he stated. He cautioned that while some individuals might be motivated by financial compensation, such activities carry extreme risks and can lead to fatal outcomes.

The Foreign Ministry is currently managing 17 other consular cases involving Panamanians in Russia. These cases range from requests for assistance to inquiries from citizens seeking help or information to return to Panama. The ministry acknowledged the challenges in providing consular support in conflict zones, noting that Panama lacks diplomatic representation in all such areas.

In war scenarios, establishing contact with citizens is particularly difficult. Guevara Mann explained that Panama sometimes relies on international organizations like the Red Cross or seeks collaboration with friendly nations to provide assistance. He stressed that the most effective way to prevent such tragic situations is for Panamanians to avoid participating in overseas conflicts altogether.

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Our vocation is a vocation of peace, not a vocation of war and much less to participate in this type of situations.