23 Inmates Remain at Large Following the Mass Escape at Panama’s La Joyita Prison: A Search is Underway

Following the mass escape of 195 inmates from La Joyita Penitentiary Center on the morning of Saturday, June 6, authorities conducted a search to locate and remove prohibited items that could pose a risk to security and order within the facility.  So far, authorities have not reported whether prohibited items were seized during the search, nor have they specified the number of possible findings. Official reports confirm that following a mass prison break and riot at Panama’s La Joyita Prison, authorities are still actively searching for 23 inmates. The breakout occurred on June 1, 2026, when 195 prisoners escaped during a coordinated riot, though the vast majority have since been recaptured.

Key Details on the Incident:

• The Escape: The mass evasion happened during pavilion reorganization and planned transfers of gang leaders. It escalated into an active revolt where inmates destroyed security cameras and breached perimeters.

• Casualties: The violence and unrest resulted in 3 inmate deaths and injuries to multiple prisoners and police officers.

• Search Operations: A massive deployment of over 1,200 security personnel, including the National Police, SENAFRONT, and SENAN, was dispatched to apprehend the escapees.

• Current Status: More than 170 individuals have been captured and returned to custody. Special law enforcement units are continuing ground and air operations, including checkpoints around Pacora and the surrounding Panama province, to locate the remaining 23 fugitives.

A Reconstruction of the Escape from La Joyita by Document was Delivered to the Public Prosecutor’s Office

Authorities are trying to determine what happened inside La Joyita prison before the mass escape. An internal report reveals inmate movements, tensions between cellblocks, and damage to the prison infrastructure.

The mass escape of inmates from La Joyita Penitentiary remains under investigation. However, a report submitted to the Public Prosecutor’s Office offers new details about what happened inside the prison before dozens of inmates escaped and the facility descended into chaos.   The document, addressed to the senior prosecutor of Metropolitan Primary Care, Azael Samaniego, describes a chain of events that began around 12:30 pm on June 1.  According to the report, Major Rivera went to the prison administration to request logistical support with an official vehicle. The purpose was to transport inmates from the maximum security area to the Rancho area, where a meeting led by Commissioner Luis García was supposedly to take place. 

The report indicates that there was a list of prisoners summoned to that meeting, although the official who prepared the report claimed to be unaware of who was in that group.  In addition to the maximum security inmates, leaders from the minimum security pavilions would also participate.  What was initially presented as a meeting began to generate unease among the prison population.  According to the document, crowd control units arrived at the scene and several inmates expressed doubts about the true purpose of the gathering.  According to the report, some inmates suspected that it was not a meeting, but a transfer to other prisons.  The information began to circulate rapidly among the different pavilions.  Within minutes, uncertainty spread throughout much of the prison complex. 

The report states that the inmates began to gradually leave the pavilions as tension increased inside the facilities.  Subsequently, members of the National Police handcuffed 49 prisoners and put them into official vehicles.  According to the document, their destination was not publicly disclosed. From that point on, the situation deteriorated rapidly.  The report describes clashes between inmates and police units, which triggered acts of vandalism inside the prison.  The damages reported include the destruction of security areas, damage to the center’s kitchen, theft of supplies, damage to control scanners, equipment belonging to the Ministry of Education, and tools used in training programs of the National Institute of Professional Training and Human Development (Inadeh). 

The report also notes that approximately 46 surveillance cameras were destroyed during the riots.  Authorities are still investigating whether the events described in the document are directly related to the escape of the prisoners or whether they are part of a broader sequence of events that ultimately facilitated the escape.  The version coincides with the statements offered by the Minister of Government, Dinoska Montalvo, who confirmed that the investigations seek to determine how a routine transfer operation ended up becoming one of the biggest prison crises recorded in recent years.  “What happened is not a minor matter, it is serious,” the minister stated, adding that the investigations will go to the very end.  The escape from La Joyita prison involved 195 inmates, according to official figures released by authorities.

Three inmates also died during the incident; these deaths are part of the ongoing investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and security agencies.  Montalvo has indicated that June 1st marked a turning point for the Panamanian prison system and warned that the State will respond with stricter measures to prevent a similar situation from happening again.  “Everything changes. Everything will eventually change. The prison system, from what it had been until that day, will be completely transformed, and they will feel the weight of a State that has been challenged,” the minister stated in one of her public appearances.  Following the escape, the National Police launched search operations across the country.

According to the latest official reports, most of the escapees have been recaptured or have surrendered to authorities, although operations continue to locate those who remain at large.  Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor’s Office continues its investigation into the mass escape and the damage caused inside La Joyita Penitentiary. As of press time, authorities reported the recapture of 166 of the inmates who escaped from La Joyita.  As a result of the investigations carried out by the prosecutors, 18 preliminary hearings were held and 134 people were brought before judges to face legal proceedings related to the escape.  The Public Prosecutor’s actions resulted in 125 provisional arrests and nine convictions through plea agreements.

These included three three-year prison sentences; four three-year and six-month sentences; one three-year and eight-month sentence; and one three-year and eleven-month prison sentence.  These sanctions are in addition to the effective sentences that the convicted individuals were serving at the time of their escape from prison, so their stay in prison will be extended as a consequence of the new crime.  In addition, the Attorney General’s Office reported that four cases are still in the hearing phase, while investigations continue to determine criminal responsibility arising from the escape and acts of vandalism recorded within the prison complex. 

The investigation also seeks to establish potential administrative and disciplinary responsibilities for the events of June 1st. Among the lines of inquiry are determining who ordered the prior movements within the prison, how the security controls collapsed, and whether there were any failures or irregularities on the part of officials responsible for the custody of the inmates.  While the legal proceedings continue, the security forces are continuing their search operations.