The governor of the province of Panama, Mayin Correaquestioned the creation of the Municipal Police of the Panama City Hall and requested to eliminate this structure, considering that it represents a risk for citizens and can generate conflicts with the National Police.
Correa’s statements, given in The Polygraph of The Star of Panamaoccur while resting before the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) a claim of unconstitutionality for Agreement 162 of 2025through which the Municipal Council of Panama created the Municipal Police Directorate.
The governor recalled that, after the US invasion of 1989, when she became mayor of Panama by appointment of the then president Guillermo Endarathere was a situation of insecurity due to the large number of weapons that remained on the streets.
Mayín Correa recalled that during his administration a Municipal Surveillance body was created, but warned that it did not have the functions of a police force like the current structure.
As he explained, During his administration, a Municipal Surveillance body was created to protect the assets of the municipality.but clarified that this structure did not have the functions of a police force.
“I believe that it is an abuse and a tremendous danger that you have two police forces in Panama that compete with each other, and that the one in the sandwich in the middle is the citizen”he stated.
He also questioned that the current municipal structure uses uniforms and exercises powers that can make its agents perceive themselves as members of the National Police..
“Why have an irresponsible body that believes itself to be the police and is not the police? Because you gave it powers”said Correa, who considered that the Municipal Police should be eliminated.
In August of this year, a new unconstitutionality lawsuit was filed against Agreement 162, by the deputy Ernesto Cedenoof the bench We continue of the National Assembly. One of their main questions refers to the authorization for municipal agents to use lethal weapons..
Cedeño maintains that A police structure must be created by a law approved by the Legislative Body and not through a municipal agreement.
Previously, The CSJ refused to admit a lawsuit filed by the National Police against the same agreement. The majority of the magistrates considered that the action did not meet the requirements to be analyzed, because their arguments focused mainly on aspects of legality.
For its part, Judge Maribel Cornejo Batista saved her vote. He considered that there were sufficient elements to examine the substance of the agreement, particularly in relation to articles 310 and 242 of the Constitution.
The debate intensified after clashes between municipal agents and former officials of the Municipality of Panama who were protesting in front of the Hatillo Building. Three people were injured and one of them was under medical care after suffering a brain injury.
