Through Resolution No. 9686 of the General Directorate of the Penitentiary System of September 17, 2021, which was published in the Official Gazette this Tuesday, October 5, 2021, it was decreed that due to national security reasons and the high criminal profiles in the Punta Coco Preventive Detention Center, its security will be temporarily assumed by the National Police in the internal area and by the National Aeronaval Service (Senan) in the external area.

It should be noted that the units of these entities must comply with the orders of the General Directorate of the Penitentiary System; thus respecting what is indicated by law 55 of July 10, 2003.

On a regular basis, this law establishes that prison security is divided into internal and external; the first must be assumed by the prison guards and the second by the National Police; however, this temporary measure is applied due to the danger of the inmates.

The Punta Coco Preventive Detention Center is located in the Corregimiento de la Esmeralda, district of Balboa, Panama province and has been enabled since 2018. The people held there are considered within the range of "extreme danger."