Panama Gun Exchange Program Sets August 11 Event at Plaza 5 de Mayo
PANAMA CITY, August 4, 2026 – The Governor Office of Panama announced a new event for the program Armas y Municiones por Comida, Medicamentos y Electrodomesticos, scheduled for Tuesday, August 11, at Plaza 5 de Mayo.
Telemetro reported that the event will run from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is coordinated with the Ministry of Government.
Participants may voluntarily turn in firearms, ammunition and related items in exchange for vouchers that can be used for food, medicine and appliances.
According to the Governor Office figures cited by Telemetro, the program removed 1,142 firearms and 92,690 rounds of ammunition from circulation in 2025. In exchange, authorities issued supermarket, pharmacy and appliance vouchers totaling $329,465.
The program has been carried out in Colon, Panama and Panama Oeste, where citizens also turned in explosives and other weapon-related accessories.
Authorities are presenting the new Plaza 5 de Mayo event as part of a broader citizen-security strategy aimed at reducing the risks linked to weapons possession.
Why it matters
Voluntary weapons surrender programs are one tool for reducing weapons in circulation and supporting violence-prevention efforts.
What happens next
The next exchange will take place on August 11, and authorities are calling for voluntary participation from residents.
