PANAMA · PRISONS
Chanan Singh, director general of Panama’s prison system, said on Wednesday 11 November 2026 that he was resigning, as human rights groups blamed the authorities’ handling of the prisons for inmate deaths. The Ministry of Government, the ministry that oversees the prisons, says he left for personal reasons, so we cannot say whether the two events are linked.
Key Facts
- Resignation Chanan Singh, head of Panama’s prison system, said on Wednesday 11 November that he was resigning.
- Successor Fabián Camargo is acting director general, the Ministry of Government says; Singh left “for personal reasons”.
- Allegation Human rights groups allege at least 10 inmates died in two months; no official count exists.
- Power Index Panama ranks 11th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 33.3 points (November 2026 edition).
- Next The acting director’s first steps and any official reply to the groups are awaited.
What Happened
Singh ran the Sistema Penitenciario, the agency that manages Panama’s prisons, until he announced his resignation on Wednesday. A Ministry of Government communiqué dated 11 November says Fabián Camargo is the new acting director general.
The communiqué says Singh leaves “for personal reasons”. It adds that Minister of Government Dinoska Montalvo accepted the resignation and thanked him for his work.
Singh gave his own account in public statements that day. He said he had asked the National Police to leave the interior of the prisons, because, he says, the law limits officers to the outer perimeters.
According to Singh, officers are nonetheless inside the cell blocks, notably in sector C, a cell block where he says 260 unclassified inmates are held. He said he has not been able to enter that block.
Singh said the police have not left, despite his request. We found no government comment on his account.
The communiqué does not mention his account of police in the prisons. It gives only personal reasons for his departure.
The Allegations of Inmate Deaths
A joint statement from human rights organisations, made public around the time of the resignation, says at least 10 inmates died in the last two months in the prison system. The number of groups behind it is not clear from the reports we found.
The groups blame a lack of food and timely medical care, and demand the removal of the head of the prison system and of the directors of three prisons. We have not seen the statement itself, so these are the groups’ allegations, not established facts.
We found no official count of deaths and no government reply to the statement. The resignation came as the statement circulated, but the government gives only personal reasons.
Why It Matters
No official figure on inmate deaths exists yet, so the allegations cannot be tested. Singh’s account points to a split over who controls the cells: the Ministry of Government runs the prison system, while, in his words, the police should guard only the outside.
Singh took over in July 2026, after 195 inmates escaped from La Joyita, a prison near Panama City, on Monday 1 June 2026. His predecessor, Jorge Torregroza, the previous prison director, had resigned in June.
Singh says police inside the cell blocks block his work there. The government has not answered that charge in what we found.
What Happens Next
No dates are confirmed. We are waiting for the new acting director’s first steps and for any official reply to the human rights groups.
Any move on police presence inside the prisons would show whether the dispute changes policy. Until then, the government’s only stated reason remains personal.
What It Means for You
The people most affected are inmates, their families and prison staff. The story also matters to readers following Panama’s security policy and how it manages its prisons.
More coverage is on our Panama news page, including a separate hunger-strike claim at the Santiago prison. Our Latin America Power Index gives wider regional context.
What Is Not Known
We do not know why Singh resigned beyond the stated personal reasons, or whether the human rights statement played a part. We also do not know how many inmates have died or exactly which groups signed.
We cannot verify that police are inside cell blocks as Singh says. The government has not responded to his account in what we found.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Chanan Singh?
He was director general of Panama’s prison system, which runs the country’s prisons under the Ministry of Government. He said on Wednesday 11 November 2026 that he was resigning.
Who replaces him?
The Ministry of Government says Fabián Camargo was designated acting director general. It did not say how long the appointment lasts.
Did inmates die in Panama’s prisons?
Human rights organisations allege that at least 10 inmates died in two months. We found no official count and no government reply.
Why did Singh say he resigned?
The ministry says he left for personal reasons. Singh said publicly that police were operating inside prisons despite legal limits, which he says he could not resolve.
Sources: Ministry of Government of Panama, communiqué “Comunicado Sistema Penitenciario 11 de noviembre”, 11 November 2026; statements by Chanan Singh, 11 November 2026; joint statement of human rights organisations, November 2026 (document not seen by us).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error