Panama Works to Secure Its Border With Colombia

Arriving in helicopters and carrying machine guns, police are beefing up patrols in the remote villages near Panama’s southern border amid reports that Colombian rebels and paramilitary gunmen are hiding there.

National Police Chief Carlos Bares said that officials don’t want to clash with the Colombians and that they only want to make sure the area is secure.

“We want them to take the problems of their country and leave us in peace,” he said.

Panamanians living along the frontier are nervous. Teachers in Biroquera, with more than 300 residents, abandoned their classrooms for a while, and farmers are afraid to leave their houses.

Biroquera residents have been worried since police reported finding a guerrilla camp a few miles away. Messages have been found scribbled on tree trunks: “Panamanian police, come and get us,” one challenged.

Panama’s government, which has no army, has sent more than 200 police officers to the area.