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panama Panama v.2026-05-15

Violent crime south of Metetí in Darién, plus Mosquito Gulf drug smuggling and human trafficking risks.

  • Articolo
  • aggiornato 2026-05-15

Five official advisories currently say to avoid all travel to parts of Panama, especially the Darién border area and the Mosquito Gulf. Other official advisories keep heightened caution in place for Panama City, Colón, San Miguelito, and wider Panama; this status is current as of 2026-05-15, with source pages checked on 2026-05-14.

What Is Being Advised

Avoid all travel to the highest-risk areas named in official advisories: the Darién border region, areas south of Metetí or Yaviza toward Colombia, and the Mosquito Gulf from Boca de Río Chiriquí to Coclé del Norte. If your route depends on overland movement near the Colombia border, reroute or postpone that segment.

For the rest of Panama, plan for heightened caution. Official advisories name crime, violent crime, illegal activity, drug smuggling, human trafficking, armed groups, border risk, and possible civil unrest. Check your government advisory before booking non-refundable transport, and check again before traveling outside Panama City or established tourist routes.

Where exactly this applies
  • Darién and the Colombia border: advisories name areas south of Metetí in Darién Province to the Colombian border; the Darién Gap south of Yaviza, including Darién National Park, nature reserves, and tourist resorts; and the border area of Darién, Emberà Wounaan, and Guna Yala.
  • Mosquito Gulf: one advisory says to avoid all travel from Boca de Río Chiriquí to Coclé del Norte.
  • Colón: multiple advisories mark Colón or Colón Province for above-baseline security risk.
  • Panama City and nearby districts: named areas include San Miguelito, Veracruz City, and the Panama City corregimientos of Calidonia, Curundú, El Chorrillo, Panama Viejo, Rio Abajo, Santa Ana, and 24 de Diciembre.
  • Wider Panama: several official pages keep the country at heightened caution because of crime and possible civil unrest.
Organizations issuing warnings
  • Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
  • Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
  • Global Affairs Canada
  • Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères, France
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, Italy
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand

Highest-Risk Areas

Canada updated its Panama page on 2026-05-04 and says to avoid all travel to the Mosquito Gulf, from Boca de Río Chiriquí to Coclé del Norte, because of illegal activity including drug smuggling and human trafficking: travel.gc.ca/destinations/panama.

Canada also says to avoid all travel to areas south of Metetí in Darién Province to the border with Colombia because of extremely high levels of violent crime. New Zealand, updated 2024-11-28, says not to travel to the Darién Gap south of Yaviza, including Darién National Park, nature reserves, and tourist resorts: safetravel.govt.nz/destinations/panama.

Switzerland's FDFA, updated 2026-03-19, advises against travel to the border area of Darién, Emberà Wounaan, and Guna Yala: api.eda.admin.ch/reisehinweise/id/PA-de. France's page, updated 2026-04-16, places Darién and the Mosquito Gulf in higher-risk security zones, with additional caution zones for Colón, Panama City and surrounding areas, and other regions: diplomatie.gouv.fr.

Japan's advisory, updated 2024-10-18, lists Level 3 and Level 1 areas for Panama. Level 3 directs travelers to avoid travel. Level 1 directs travelers to use sufficient caution. The notes cite ongoing security risks and tell travelers to monitor reliable information: anzen.mofa.go.jp.

Places With Heightened Caution

Canada's general Panama entry says to exercise a high degree of caution in Colón Province, San Miguelito, Veracruz City, and several Panama City corregimientos: Amelia Denis de Icaza, Belisario Porras, Belisario Frias, Arnulfo Arias, Calidonia, Curundú, El Chorrillo, Panama Viejo, Rio Abajo, Santa Ana, and 24 de Diciembre. The stated reason is high levels of crime.

Italy's Viaggiare Sicuri page, updated 2026-02-19, marks Colón, Panama City, and Darién Province as areas of particular caution because of security risks, armed groups, and border risk: viaggiaresicuri.it/find-country/country/PAN.

Ireland currently rates Panama as High Degree of Caution, checked 2026-05-14, and tells Irish travelers to check local security and travel conditions: ireland.ie/en/dfa/overseas-travel/advice/panama. Australia lists Panama as Exercise a high degree of caution on its destinations index, with the destination entry updated on 2026-01-14: smartraveller.gov.au/destinations.

Before You Book

If your plan includes the Darién Gap, the Colombia border region, areas south of Metetí or Yaviza, or the Mosquito Gulf, follow the current avoid-all-travel advice. Give current official advisories more weight than a hostel desk, tour listing, or old forum thread.

If your trip stays in Panama City, Colón, San Miguelito, or other named urban areas, use the official advice to check the latest advisory text, keep transport flexible, and read regional warnings alongside the country-level label.

Before departure, recheck the official page from your own government and any government whose advisory you trust for regional detail. The latest update dates in this article range from 2024-10-18 to 2026-05-04, and some pages may change while older summary text still carries risk information.

Source Notes

Five governments include avoid-all-travel or equivalent highest-level restrictions for named areas. Several advisories apply heightened caution to Panama more broadly or to named districts. The strongest practical instruction is regional: avoid the Darién border area and the Mosquito Gulf segments named above.

Official source notes

Official source notes used for this article. Native government labels are preserved when available.

  • Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid all travel; native label: Avoid all travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Panama: Mosquito Gulf - Avoid all travel. Avoid all travel to the Mosquito Gulf, from Boca de Río Chiriquí to Coclé del Norte, due to the high level of illegal activity such as drug smuggling and human trafficking.
  • Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid all travel; native label: Avoid all travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Panama: Areas south of Metetí - Avoid all travel. Avoid all travel to to areas south of Metetí in Darién Province to the border with Colombia due to extremely high levels of violent crime.
  • Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres (fr) (avoid all travel; native label: Zones formellement déconseillées; Zones déconseillées sauf raisons impératives; Zones à vigilance renforcée; updated 2026-04-16; checked 2026-05-14): Panama - Conseils aux voyageurs: security zones. France Diplomatie currently places parts of Panama above ordinary baseline travel advice. Native severity labels are preserved as: Zones formellement déconseillées; Zones déconseillées sauf raisons impératives; Zones à vigilance renforcée. Named areas/routes/borders include: Darien, Le golfe des Moustiques, Colón, Panama Ciudad et ses environs, Autres régions.
  • Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (ch) (avoid all travel; native label: regional — Von Reisen in das Grenzgebiet der Regionen Darién, Emberà Wounaan und Guna Yala wird abgeraten; updated 2026-03-19; checked 2026-05-14): FDFA travel advice for Panama. The FDFA advises against travel to/in border area der Regionen Darién, Emberà Wounaan und Guna Yala. The current FDFA update note was published on 2026-03-19.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (nz) (avoid all travel; native label: Exercise increased caution; Do not travel; updated 2024-11-28; checked 2026-05-14): Panama: Exercise increased caution. Exercise increased caution in Panama due to crime and the potential for civil unrest (level 2 of 4). Do not travel to the Darién Gap, south of the town of Yaviza, including the Darién National Park, nature reserves, and tourist resorts.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (avoid all travel; native label: レベル3：渡航は止めてください。（渡航中止勧告）（継続）; updated 2024-10-18; checked 2026-05-14): Panama: レベル3：渡航は止めてください。（渡航中止勧告）（継続）. Japan MOFA keeps Panama in the listed area at レベル3：渡航は止めてください。（渡航中止勧告）（継続）; travelers should not travel. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
  • Global Affairs Canada (ca) (heightened caution; native label: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Panama - Exercise a high degree of caution. Exercise a high degree of caution in the following areas due to high levels of crime: Colón Province District of San Miguelito, especially the following areas: Amelia Denis de Icaza Belisario Porras Belisario Frias Arnulfo Arias Veracruz City Panama City in the following corregimientos: Calidonia Curundú El Chorrillo Panama Viejo Rio Abajo Santa Ana 24 de Diciembre
  • Department of Foreign Affairs (ie) (heightened caution; native label: High Degree of Caution; updated 2026-05-01; checked 2026-05-14): Ireland DFA: High caution - Panama. Ireland DFA currently rates Panama as High Degree of Caution. Irish tourists should treat the destination as elevated risk and check the official page for local security and travel conditions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Aree di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-19; checked 2026-05-14): Aree di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Colón in Panama for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Provincia del Darién in Panama for above-baseline travel caution due to armed groups and border risk. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Aree di particolare cautela; updated 2026-02-19; checked 2026-05-14): Aree di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Panama City in Panama for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (au) (heightened caution; native label: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-01-14; checked 2026-05-14): Smartraveller advisory for Panama: Exercise a high degree of caution. Australia Smartraveller lists Panama at "Exercise a high degree of caution" on its current destinations index. The destination entry was updated on 2026-01-14.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (heightened caution; native label: レベル1：十分注意してください。（継続）; updated 2024-10-18; checked 2026-05-14): Panama: レベル1：十分注意してください。（継続）. Japan MOFA keeps Panama in the listed area at レベル1：十分注意してください。（継続）; travelers should exercise a high degree of caution. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.