PANAMA · PRISONS
Key Facts
- Claim Lawyers said on Wednesday 11 November that about 700 inmates at the Santiago prison in Veraguas province declared a hunger strike.
- Complaints Disease including tuberculosis, poor food, and limits on relatives bringing food and basic goods.
- Official line Panama’s prison authorities have not confirmed the strike, and we have seen no official statement.
- Crowding The Santiago prison held 629 inmates for 150 places on 30 June, more than four times its capacity.
- Power Index Panama ranks 11th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 33.3 points (November 2026 edition).
Lawyers say about 700 inmates in Veraguas province have stopped eating over disease, food and visiting limits, but prison authorities have not yet confirmed it.
Lawyers for inmates said on Wednesday 11 November that about 700 prisoners at the Centro Penitenciario de Santiago, in the city of Santiago, capital of Panama’s Veraguas province, have declared a hunger strike. Panama’s prison system, the Sistema Penitenciario run by the Ministry of Government, has not confirmed it, and we have seen no official statement.
The lawyers, Said Omar Hernández and Joaquín Daniel Medina, practise law for inmates and say the prisoners are protesting the spread of disease, including tuberculosis (a serious lung infection), poor food and limits on relatives bringing in food and basic goods. This account comes from the lawyers, and no second source or official has confirmed the number of strikers.
What the Lawyers Say
The lawyers say they are filing appeals for a second time before the judges who supervise prison sentences, and they want the health, food and medical care at the prison investigated. They also say the limits on food and supplies follow orders from Chanan Singh, who was named head of the prison system in July 2026.
The lawyers also say that about seven inmates have died of tuberculosis in prisons across the country, according to their complaints. We found no official count of tuberculosis cases or deaths in Panama’s prisons, so this figure is unconfirmed.
A Prison Far Over Capacity
Panama’s Ministry of Government reported that the Santiago prison held 629 inmates on 30 June 2026, against room for 150. That is 479 more than its capacity, more than four times the number of places.
Across the country the ministry counted 24,283 inmates for 14,695 places, about 65% over capacity. The lawyers’ figure of about 700 strikers is higher than the 629 inmates the ministry counted on 30 June, so either the population has grown or the figure is rough.
Why Food Is Restricted
The lawyers tie the limits on food to orders issued after a mass escape from La Joyita, a prison in Panama City, on Monday 1 June. The government minister confirmed at the time that 195 inmates had escaped.
We have not seen an official explanation of the rules now in force at Santiago, or whether the government plans to relax them. Separately, the government has announced plans for a maximum-security prison for gang leaders, as covered in our report on the plan to lock away gang bosses.
What It Means for You
The people most affected are the inmates, their families and prison staff, and we found no announcement affecting travellers or investors. The thing to watch is whether the ministry answers the lawyers’ complaints in the coming days.
Readers following Panama’s justice system can find more on our Panama page. Our report on a prison tender with bids above US$177 million covers the building side.
What Is Not Known
We do not know exactly how many inmates are refusing food, when the strike began or whether it continues. We also cannot confirm the tuberculosis deaths or the lawyers’ claim about who ordered the food limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the hunger strike happening?
Lawyers say it is at the Santiago prison, in Veraguas province in western Panama. They put the number of inmates at about 700.
What are the inmates demanding?
According to their lawyers, they want better food and action on diseases including tuberculosis. They also want an end to limits on relatives bringing in food and basic goods.
Has the government confirmed the strike?
Not yet. We have seen no statement from Panama’s prison authorities as of Wednesday 11 November.
Is the Santiago prison overcrowded?
Yes. Panama’s Ministry of Government counted 629 inmates for 150 places on 30 June 2026.
Sources: Statements by lawyers Said Omar Hernández and Joaquín Daniel Medina, 11 November 2026; Ministry of Government of Panama, prison population monthly table, June 2026; Ministry of Government and National Police, press conference on the La Joyita escape, early June 2026.
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