Police misconduct and escapes reported in Guatemala and Panama

In Guatemala, testimony was provided during the trial of seven former National Civil Police (PNC) agents accused of the extrajudicial execution of Canadian citizen Nelson Santamaría and Guatemalan Eldin Choc. An inspector from the PNC General Inspectorate detailed how former sub-inspector Edy Vásquez Rabanales managed to evade capture. During an attempted arrest in the early hours of April 19, 2024, Vásquez Rabanales requested to return to his quarters to retrieve a sweater, a request that was granted, allowing him the opportunity to escape.

In Panama, Deputy Jairo “Bolota” Salazar has alleged that high-ranking police officials, including commissioners and sub-commissioners, planned the mass escape of 195 inmates from the La Joyita Penitentiary on June 1. Salazar claimed that the responsibility for the incident lies with police leadership rather than the prisoners. The escape resulted in three inmate deaths, several injuries to prisoners and police officers, and significant discrepancies in the official count of fugitives due to administrative movements.