Panamanian Public Forces

Panamanian Public Forces
Fuerza Pública de Panamá
Flag of the Republic of Panama
Flag of the Republic of Panama
Common nameGuardia, Policia, Fronterizo
AbbreviationFPP
Motto"Dios, Honor, y Patria"
"God, Honor, and Country"
Agency overview
FormedFebruary 10, 1990
Employees30,000 active (as of 2016)[1]
50,000 part-time & reserve agents
Annual budgetUSD 481 million (2011)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionPAN
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersPanama City, Panama
Parent agencyMinistry of Public Security
Child agencies
Website
Ministry of Public Security

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 abolish its standing army, with Panama retaining a small paramilitary security force. This came as a result of a U.S. invasion that overthrew a military dictatorship which ruled Panama from 1968 to 1989. The final military dictator, Manuel Noriega, had been belligerent toward the U.S. culminating in the killing of a U.S. Marine lieutenant and U.S. invasion ordered by U.S. President George H. W. Bush.

Panama maintains armed police and internal security forces, and small air and maritime forces. They are tasked with law enforcement and can perform limited military actions. Since 2010 they have reported to the Ministry of Public Security.

  1. ^ a b IISS (2012), p. 397