Panamanian Public Forces

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Military of Panama
Flag of Panama.svg
Service branches POLICIA NACIONAL DE PANAMA - LOGO - v2011.png
Policía Nacional
(National Police)
Servicio Nacional de Fronteras (SENAFRONT) - escudo (shadows detail) - Panamá 2011.png
Servicio Nacional de Fronteras
(National Borders Service)
Servicio de Protección Institucional (SPI) - Panamá 2011 (escudo).png
Servico de Protección Institucional
(Institutional Protection Service)
Logo del SENAN.png
Servicio Nacional Aeronaval
(National Aeronaval Service)
President of the Republic of Panama and Commander-in-Chief of the Public Forces President Juan Carlos Varela
Minister of Public Security of the Republic of Panama Jose Raul Mulino Quintero
Active personnel 12,000[1]
Budget USD 481 million (2011)[1]

The Panamanian Public Forces (Spanish: Fuerza Pública de la República de Panamá) are the national security forces of Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America (the other being Costa Rica) to permanently abolish standing armies, leaving it with only small para-military forces. This came as a result of a US invasion that overthrew a military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1968 to 1989. The final military dictator, Manuel Noriega, had been belligerent toward the USA culminating in the killing of a US Marine Lieutenant and US invasion ordered by President, George H. W. Bush. Panama maintains forces, consisting of armed Police and Security forces, and small air and maritime forces. They are tasked with law enforcement, and can perform limited military actions. Since 2010 they report directly to the Ministry of Public Security.


The National Police[edit]




The National Guard[edit]


In 1968, the Guard overthrew President Arnulfo Arias in a coup led by Lieutenant Colonel Omar Torrijos and Major Boris Martínez. They completed the process of converting the Guard into a full-fledged army. In the process, they promoted themselves to full colonels. Torrijos thrust Martínez aside in 1969, promoted himself to brigadier general, and was de facto ruler of the country until his death in a 1981 plane crash. (See Panamanian Air Force FAP-205 crash)

The Panamanian Defense Forces[edit]

After Torrijos' death, and two successive commanders with lesser political influence, the position was eventually assumed by Manuel Noriega, who reestructured all of the National Guard's military and police forces under his command, into the Fuerzas de Defensa de Panamá (Panama Defense Forces). He built the PDF into a structured force, and further consolidated his political power. Under Noriega, the PDF was a more tool of political control, than a force dedicated to national defense and law enforcement.

Besides consolidating his grasp on power by increasing military forces and spending, Noriega also icreased the power and influence of the PDF Military Intelligence Section (G-2 for its standard military designation), which he commanded prior his rise to power and it became a secret police, feared even inside the PDF ranks; and he also relied on the role several loyal military unit, like the 7th Inf. Co. "Machos de Monte" (Mountain Machos, a guerrilla warfare unit named after a sort of aggressive wild boar), the 1st Public Order Co. "Dobermen" (a brutal riot police force), the UESAT (Unidades Especiales de Servicio Anti Terror, an Israeli trained counter terrorism strike force). That way, he was able not only to maintain an iron grip on day to day political affairs, but also to survive various attempted coups. Curiously the "Doberman" Co. was brutally disbanded and replaced by the no less rutless 2nd Public Order Co. "Centurions" after the "Dobermen" key role in the last coup attempt against Noriega.

Due to the political turmoil of the late 80's, he formed the civilian paramilitary unit called the Dignity Battalions composed by regular sympatizers and the CODEPADI, a similar group formed by civil servants inside public institutions; both intended to bolster up forces to be used in case of foreign military action, but were mainly used as shock troops in acts of political repression.


Panamanian Public Forces[edit]



In contrast to the former PDF, the Panamanian Public Forces is on public record and under control of the executive.


The New Ministry[edit]


Immigration, Customs and Passport[edit]




A BMW X6 patrol vehicle of the National Police force.

As of 2012, the National Police Force's maneuver units comprised:

  • One presidential guard battalion (under-strength)[2]
  • One military police battalion[2]
  • Eight paramilitary companies[2]
  • 18 police companies[2]


At this time, the National Police Force had a total strength of 11,000 personnel and was equipped only with small arms.[2]

Panamanian aircraft inventory[edit]

Panama Air Force Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 600
Aircraft Origin Type Series In service[3] Notes
ENAER T-35 Pillan Chile Trainer, reconnaissance B, D 4
CASA C-212 Aviocar Spain Tactical transport 300 3
Britten Norman Islander United Kingdom Tactical light transport 2A 1 Retired
Bell 412 United States Utility and transport 1
Bell 212 United States Utility and transport 1
Sikorsky S-76 United States VIP transport C 1[2]
Piper PA-34 Seneca United States Utility and transport 1
Cessna 152 United States Utility 1[2]
Cessna 172 United States Utility 1[2]
Cessna 208 Caravan United States Utility and transport 2
AW139 Italy Utility, Transport, VIP 6
MD 500 United States Reconnaissance E 1
Bell 407 United States Reconnaissance 2
Embraer Legacy 600 Brazil Presidential Transport 1

Maritime forces[edit]



  1. ^ a b IISS (2012), p. 397
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t IISS (2012), p. 398
Works cited

Further reading[edit]

  • Robert C. Harding, Military Foundations of Panamanian Politics, Transaction Publishing, 2001.
  • Robert C. Harding, The History of Panama, Greenwood Publishing, 2006.