The state prosecutor has signalled the penetration of drug trafficking organizations in the Panamanian economy and in political institutions.
According to the prosecutor, Ana Belfon, during her first year of work she has perceived an increased penetration of organized crime into the economy and institutions of the Panamanian government.
"No wonder drug traffickers can penetrate institutions, since they have practically created a parallel economy," Belfon said.
Guatemalan agricultural employers spend $300 million on private security representing between 12% and 16% of their budgets.
Prensalibre.com reports that "the Chamber of Agriculture (Camagro) reported that during 2013 there was an increase in criminal acts such as kidnappings, threats and extortions against their workers, as well as the theft and destruction of private property ... "
Prosecutors in the interior would rather not know about high-impact cases, and there are judges who do not want to rule on them for fear of reprisals.
Added to this are other problems being faced by prosecutors of the Public Ministry (PM) within the country such as lack of security, space and backlogs.
For prosecutors, who preferred anonymity, the main fear are the threats and attacks by organized criminals .
President Perez Molina is betting on modern technology in immigration control and movement of goods to prevent and combat crime.
From a press release issued by the Government of Panama:
President Otto Perez Molina referred to the key role of technology in security and the fight against crime and reaffirmed the government's commitment to modernize the institutions of crime prosecution and strengthen the country's justice system.
Although Nicaragua has one of the lowest crime rates in Central America, in San Juan del Sur robberies of tourists are beginning to affect the sector.
Business owners and foreign residents have denounced the constant thefts, however, so far no actions or responses to the problem have been taken. Estimates by the National Chamber of the Micro, Small and Medium Tourism industry (CANTUR) reveal that there are 11 weekly assaults on tourists in this area.
The phenomenon affects much of Latin America, whose countries spend on average 8% of their GDP on security costs.
That was the conclusion reached during the forum "Connecting businesses as partners for prosperity with security in the Americas", organized by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the private sector, under the framework of the Guatemala Investment Summit.
A survey of Salvadoran entrepreneurs reveals that during 2012, 66% of their companies or their staff were affected up to twice by extortion, kidnapping and murder.
The Survey ENADE 2013 assesses businesses' perception of the performance of government officials, in public safety, fiscal policy and democratic institutions.
• Type of research: a quantitative descriptive research using the technique of self-administered questionnaire.
In El Salvador, the state budget allocated to security is $500 million a year, while the total amount invested by private enterprises for self-protection is $600 million.
"The combined budgets (National Civil Police, the Attorney General's Office and the Armed Forces of El Salvador) total about $500 million and the private sector invests over $600 million annually on security issues," said Jorge Daboub, president of the National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP).
Employers indicate that the cost of paying extortion fees on productive or commercial activities, can amount to up to 1% of sales.
S21.com.gt reports that "The country's industrialists have declared taken their concerns to the Minister of the Interior where they reported being victims of extortion and theft and a killing spree that is maintaining a 'climate of anxiety' in the country, said Javier Zepeda, president of the Chamber of Industry (CIG by its initials in Spanish). "
While other Central American countries are preparing taxes to combat insecurity, Nicaragua declares that it is not an appropriate option.
The president of Guatemala, Alvaro Colom, proposed to his peers in the isthmus region the creation of specific tax to combat organized crime and the violence it generates.
Although the proposal didn’t prosper at the meeting of the Council of Finance Ministers and Central Finance, both Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras are working on the implementation of a national tax for their own security plans.
Private companies will participate in monitoring the results of the plan.
Following Colombia’s example, where monitoring by the private business sector was instrumental in implementing the security measures proposed by the government, businessmen from El Salvador will monitor the security plan and the tax on large amounts of capital.
The methods used to finance the government's ambitious plan to combat insecurity is the private sector’s main concern, because to apply the tax on large capital (assets over $500 thousand) a significant portion of the country’s business could be affected .
Widespread corruption, institutional weakness, disputes between countries, and resistance to more taxes, are jeopardizing the chances of success of the plan and its 22 projects.
A summit held in Guatemala, where for the first time since 1856 Central American countries agreed to fight together, culminated in joint action plans to combat drug trafficking.
Firms spent $174 million in security for their businesses in 2009, however in 2010 the expenditure amounted to $190 million.
A study by the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce reveals that 42% of those surveyed said they had been a victim of violence.
"... We are convinced that the government has not fulfilled its part, ... this has become an obstacle to our development, as insecurity impacts on the competitiveness of the economy," said the Chamber’s president, Arnoldo André , as published by Prensalibre.cr