Transient travellers are probably trashing Panama just like they are doing in the US.
The Darien Gap is literally the most dangerous place in the world. Which is why most of the people making this journey from Ecuador, Venezuela, through Columbia, into Panama and then north are young males.
Any woman making this journey will most likely end up raped, dead or in prostitution. Even IF you pay the Mexican Cartel’s to bring you to the US border.
I believe, the Cartels are making more off of this human trafficing than they are from drugs. They probably would not be happy if the president of Panama makes this change to their business plan.