Copyright (c) 2026 Revista Panameña de Ciencias Sociales
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This article analyzes ethnic-racial inequality in Latin America and Panama from a historical and statistical perspective. It argues that current disparities are not isolated phenomena but the result of a long-standing structural process rooted in colonial domination and slavery, whose intergenerational consequences persist in income distribution, labor segmentation, and social
exclusion. The paper examines recent progress in the inclusion of ethnic-racial variables in census rounds, emphasizing that statistical visibility is a technical prerequisite for a rights-based approach. In Panama, the increase in Afro-descendant self-identification (from 9.2% to 31.7%) and Indigenous self-identification (from 12.3% to 17.2%) between 2010 and 2023 is interpreted as the result of methodological improvements and strengthened identity recognition rather than abrupt demographic growth. The findings reveal intersectional inequalities in aging, adolescent fertility, education, labor market participation, income distribution, access to leadership positions, social protection, and disability profiles. The study concludes that disaggregated statistics are essential for designing differentiated public policies and advancing toward greater social equity.
Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional.
