There
are not armed forces, there is only a Public Defence Force.
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President
ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security
apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in
October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a
constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a
standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment
of special police units to counter acts of "external
aggression". These originally consisted of the National
Police, National air Service and National maritime Service.
Following border clashes between the Public Force and
FARC rebels along the border with Colombia, a decision
was announced in 2008 to reorganise the forces into a
National Border Service and a National Air-Naval Service.
The total active manpower is around 11,700 personnel.