Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 12, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 12, 2018 Quote Anti-corruption protestors besiege Assembly Posted on March 11, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 112 Anti-corruption and impunity demonstrators gathered outside Panama’s National Assembly on Sunday, March 11 to vent their anger over underachieving and corrupted lawmakers. The latest peaceful, but raucous demonstration was sparked by the recent delivery of hundreds of files from a 3 ½ year audit of communal and municipal boards revealing that some $247 million of taxpayer money was handed out to deputies of all parties in the 2014 election and ”mismanaged” according to Federico Humbert the Comptroller General. Funds disappeared, there were phony and forged invoices and goodies were distributed to voters all leading to 39 deputies being re-elected If any of them watched TV coverage of Sunday’s event they may have been wondering if the citizenry had finally woken up and how to swing the vote without payola in the May 2019 election. Demonstrators were armed with scores of banners highlighting specific concerns from impunity to education and health services. They chanted in unison:”The fight belongs to everyone!”, Protesters were stationed outside the National Assembly (AN) on Sunday, demanding prison and justice in the face of the corruption that continues to unfold in the system. Banners read “Corrupt to La Joya [prison]: “Return the stolen money “, “Deputy synonymous with thief”, “Deputies are rented”,”Jail for the piranhas” all reflecting the clamor of a social discontent The demonstration was called out by the group “Clean-up Panama” group, to get action after the audits of Communal Meetings. The organizers had planned to post the banners on a’Wall of the Corrupt’, surrounding the Assembly, but were pre-empted when on Friday Assembly staff covered the fence around the building with Panama Flags, An ‘administrative complaint’, backed by law 2 of January 23, 2012, has been filed by the organizers. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/anti-corruption-protestors-besiege-assembly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 13, 2018 Quote Deputies denounce President’s “threats” Posted on March 12, 2018 in Panama Rebellious deputies Post Views: 163 OPPOSITION lawmakers of the Cambio Democratico (CD) and Democratic Revolution Party (PRD ) united on Monday, March 12 to denounce what they have termed the “threatening behavior” of the Executive body, “headed by President Juan Carlos Varela and other senior officials of his administration.” The deputies attribute his aggression to the decision of the Assembly plenary session to not ratifying two candidates designated by the Executive to replace the magistrates Oyden Ortega and José Mejía, in the Supreme Court of. “But we do not understand your decision to attack the deputies Who opposed these designations.” said a statement from the National Assembly, read at a press conference by the Assembly president Yanibel Ábrego, accompanied by deputies Pedro Miguel Gonzalez and Benicio Robinson, secretary general and president of the PRD, and most of members of the CD and PRD caucuses. Abrego said that the Assembly is willing to seek a solution to the institutional crisis but will not hesitate to defend the independence of the powers of the State. “The Executive has no constitutional power to determine the conduct of the National Assembly,” said Ábrego. In its statement, the Legislature makes no mention o of the president opposing the reconfiguration of the Credentials Committee, in order to reduce the majority members of the ruling Panameñista Party that currently has four seats with three for the opposition. Panammenista deputy Jorge Iván Arrocha, presented a warning of illegality to Judge Abel Zamorano to order Ábrego to cancel any act aimed at dismantling the current commission. On March 9, in Bocas del Toro, President Varela warned that he will enforce the “authority” of his office to a “small group of deputies” who, according to him, want to create a confrontation. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/deputies-denounce-presidents-threats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 13, 2018 Quote Bar Assc offers mediation in Panama “institutional crisis” Posted on March 12, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 103 The National Bar Association (CNA) has offered to act as a mediator in what it calls describes as an ” institutional crisis” with increasing conflicts and differences faced by the three branches of the State (Legislative, Executive and Judicial), “in order to promote balance and social peace in the country The offer came on Monday, March 12 after President, Juan Carlos Varela, threatened on Friday that he will assert the “authority” of his position on a “small group of deputies” who, according to him, want to create a confrontation in the country. He was referring to moves in the Assembly to abolish the existing Credentials Commission The Opposition Democratic Change (CD) and Democratic Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) are seeking to change the Credentials Commission in the National Assembly currently controlled by Varela’s Panamenista Party. ANC president, Dionicio Rodríguez, exhorted to the representatives of each of the organs of the State to comply with what the constitution provides Article 2 states: “Public Power only emanates from the people. It is exercised by the State in accordance with this Constitution, by means of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Bodies, which act limited and separately, but in harmonic collaboration “. Procrastination Rodriguez reiterated the call of the ANC to the “head of government to appoint magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) in compliance with the political constitution employing the State Pact for Justice as a propitious and prior scenario for. (Varela has given three different dates for delaying the naming of judges, “after Carnival, after his Dubai trip, and after the Assembly imbroglio over the Commission. The statements also have to do with the 187 audits that the comptroller Federico Humbert delivered to the Public Ministry (MP) on February 27 in which it was determined that 70 deputies of the Assembly corresponding to the five-year period 2009-2014 – of which 39 were re-elected in the May 2014 general elections – they transferred $247 million to communal councils and municipalities with reported malpractice and disappearing funds. This led to the erection at the Assembly on Sunday of a “Wall of Corruption” made up of posters and banners denouncing corruption and impunity of elected officials http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/lawyer-guild-offers-mediation-in-panama-institutional-crisis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 14, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 14, 2018 Quote National Assembly in disarray – court bound Posted on March 13, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 162 Panama’s National Assembly remains in disarray as the caucus of the Panameñista Party refuses to recognize the restructuring of the Credentials Committee calling it totally illegal. Deputy Luis Eduardo Quirós, acting as a spokesman for his copartners said that they do not recognize the actions of the plenary session of the National Assembly because they acted against a court order. He said they will follow a series of legal actions, which includes the presentation of an Amparo of guarantees in the Supreme Court. “We do not rule out other actions, such as a complaint of contempt and a criminal complaint for abuse of authority, so the legal fight continues from our bench, “he said. The reaction of the ruling party caucus came after the full legislature decided to reshape the commission on Monday, March 12 after three weeks of political strife between the ruling party and the Democratic Change (CD) and Democratic Revolutionary (PRD ) opposition parties over control of the commission. The new commission – replacing the one elected in July 2017 – is made up of three deputies of the PRD -Elías Castillo, Alfredo Pérez and Rubén De León-; three of CD -Sergio Gálvez, Juan Poveda and Fernando Carrillo-; two Panameñista -Luis Eduardo Quirós and Jorge Alberto Rosas-, and the independent Ana Matilde Gómez. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/national-assembly-in-disarray-court-bound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 16, 2018 Quote Lawmakers move to block corruption charges Posted on March 15, 2018 in Panama If you want a bigger cookie jar, raise your hand. Post Views: 97 Just days after civil demonstrations protesting corruption and impunity in the National Assembly at least eight deputies have filed motions in the Supreme Court to block investigations of suspected mismanagement of millions of dollars of public funds in their re-election campaigns in 2014 Panama’s the Comptroller General revealed details of alleged scams when he presented results of an audit of communal boards and municipalities. Among those rushing to stall prosecutions are CD members: Yanibel Ábrego -current President of the Assembly-, Mario Miller, Jackson Palma, Héctor Aparicio (former president of the Legislative) and Salvador Real. Tagging along are PRD members Benicio Robinson -current president of the party – and Crispiano Adames, ex-leader of the party’s bench. Miguel Fanovich, of the Molirena party, added his name to the list. These deputies are part of the group of 39 that was re-elected in 2014. The Amparos are against two resolutions of the Comptroller of the years 2014 and 2015, through which the audits were ordered. Magistrate José Ayú Prado was appointed as rapporteur for the Amparo filed by Aparicio and Ángela Russo will be in charge of the rest. On February 27, the Comptroller delivered the audits Of 186 communal boards and municipalities to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which three days ago requested the reopening of the process. The Public Ministry (MP) has presented before the Fifth Criminal Court a request for the investigation to be reopened for the illegal use of public funds. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/lawmakers-move-to-block-corruption-charges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 17, 2018 Quote Presidential innaction challenged in Panama crisis Posted on March 16, 2018 in Panama President Varela failing to act Post Views: 189 Panama President Juan Carlos Varela faces growing criticism from civil society and political commentators for dithering as the country continues its plunges into crisis. The institutional crisis is not new but dates back several years says Magaly Castillo, director of the Citizens Alliance For Justice. In fact, in 2005 the State Commission was created because a complicated situation already existed She told La Prensa that she regretted that 12 years later the crisis situation continues but is now more dramatic and the events that have unfolded in recent weeks reflect a very deep crisis in democracy. She harshly criticized the delay of President Varela, in making the appointments of two new magistrates of the Supreme Court (CSJ), and says that he does not have to wait for the current situation in the National Assembly Credentials Committee. Castillo said that the time is still passing and the magistrates whose time in office expired nearly three months ago and insists that the president should start as soon as possible the process of designation. The lawyer stressed that what is happening is terrible for the country because there is zero collaborations between the organs of the State and only attacks between one and the other are visible. She said that the efforts of the deputies to affect the image of Varela are unnecessary because his image is already wrong and he must rise from the crisis. Not doing it is dangerous because those involved in corruption cases like Odebrecht and Blue Apple want chaos and restlessness in the country to distract from their crimes http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/presidential-innaction-challenged-in-panama-crisis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 18, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 18, 2018 Quote Emergency meetings as Panama political crisis deepens Posted on March 17, 2018 in Panama National Bar Assc in three-hour meeting with deputies Post Views: 268 Panama’s political crisis is deepening with a stand-off between the Legislature and the Executive, and alleged interference by the Supreme Court and President Varela threatening to overrule deputies in the National Assembly More sectors of society, businessmen and lawyers are in constant meetings with the forces that govern the National Assembly, seeking to find ways to reduces the power struggle. Members of the National Bar Association (CNA), who met yesterday with deputies of the CD and PRD, consider the institutional “ very serious.” The president of the ANC, Dionicio Rodríguez, warned that the precedent is dangerous in that a single magistrate (Abel Zamorano) of the Supreme Court of J, unilaterally, suspends an internal administrative act of the Assembly plenary. “The legislative plenary is independent and is concerned about the interference of another State Organ,” he said. Rodriguez told El SIglo that, in the case of the illegal appeals presented by the [ruling] Panameñista deputies, over the decomposition of the old Credentials Commission:” saying they are not viable, creates a disastrous precedent, [because] tomorrow any Deputy can presents an appeal and paralyze the entire National Assembly. He said that the safeguards of guarantees presented by re-elected deputies, over the issue of the audits of the comptroller Federico Humbert, for the leader they are also not viable either, and “all the deputies involved in the issue must be held accountable”. A meeting of the State Pact for Justice is planned for next Wednesday, at 3:00 p.m. when representatives of the three State Bodies (Legislative, Executive and Judicial) will meet. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/emergency-meetings-as-panama-political-crisis-deepens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 22, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 22, 2018 Quote Seeking election synonymous with corruption Posted on March 21, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 90 TO RUN for political office in Panama is seen by many to be synonymous with being corrupt says a prominent Panama lawyer as the absence of certainty of punishment is causing increasing public concern. Many politicians of the previous administration, including the ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, are facing criminal charges, and sitting deputies are also under investigation for alleged misuse of public money during the 2014 election campaign. Only last weekend, the former Minister of Social Development (Mides), Guillermo Ferrufino, already facing money laundering charges was in the news again when he was detained after being found driving without a license and under the influence of alcohol in the province of Chiriquí. Ferrufino participated in the traditional parade in the district of David, where spectators called out “thieves, thieves” to him and other politicians who were involved in alleged acts of corruption. lawyer Hermel Rodriguez said that many politicians accumulated fortunes affecting the country with their actions, reports TVN News. “People are in the awakening phase because corruption impacts the country with bad education, health, and food, “said the Panamanian jurist. Rodriguez feels that there is no trust in justice, leading to the fact that ” scoundrels invest in the country.” He added that politics is so discredited that aspiring to an elected political position is synonymous with you also being corrupt, so it is time for justice to act. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/seeking-election-synonymous-with-corruption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 27, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 27, 2018 Quote Crisis deepens in Panama National Assembly Posted on March 26, 2018 in Panama Deputies haggle Post Views: 183 The deputies of the Credentials, Ethics, Internal Regulation and Judicial Affairs Committee of the National Assembly are preparing to process 15 complaints, 11 of them against magistrates of the Supreme Court (CSJ), three others against the president, Juan Carlos Varela, and one against the vice-president of Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado. The analysis of these files from Tuesday could aggravate the crisis between the Legislature and the Executive, and could even be extended to the Judicial Organ since in the Court there are still several legal actions in which the legality of the law is questioned, reports La Estrella de Panama. The current Credentials Committee is presided over by Fernando Carrillo, of Cambio Democrático (CD) Neither the Panameñista deputies nor the President of the Republic recognize the current Committee and await a decision of the Supreme Court that still has not ruled after having spent a month of dismantling the Commission of Credentials Committee presided over by the Panamenista deputy Luis Eduardo Quirós. “There are two credentials commissions and we have to define which one will be left, before that candidates for Supreme Court will be presented, “said President Varela before leaving on a trip to Jordan. The president said that after Holy Week there will be “positive news … of conciliation, consensus, dialogue.” Although the President, has not publicly shown his intentions to accept a mediation of the Catholic Church in the face of the tense political situation between the Executive and Legislative organs, it seems that the Church, through some emissaries, has asked the president to seek mechanisms to resolve the existing crisis. Panama will be host in 2019 of the World Youth Day (WYD), so the leaders of the Catholic Church ask for an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, both before and during this world religious event. The president of the National Assembly, Yanibel Ábrego, has already been informed by the Archbishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa, of his willingness to sit down at a dialogue table. The president of the Credentials Committee Fernando Carrillo, of the Democratic Change party, said that on Tuesday the analysis of the cases will begin to respond to the citizens who filed the complaints and who are waiting for justice. He reported that three complaints were filed against President Varela last week. “We have to activate ourselves to prevent there being a repression of these cases,” said Carrillo. Panameñista deputy José Luis Varela, brother of the President described as a “coincidence” that a week after having installed a new committee, ‘crazy’ complaints began to arise Meanwhile, the secretary general of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Pedro Miguel Gonzalez, feels confident that, after Easter, the Supreme Court will make a decision in favor of him and his party. Breakdown He said that the president wants to win with a judicial maneuver what he cannot with the votes in the National Assembly. “Everything indicates that he intends to exercise all the pressure mechanisms to guarantee a majority on July 1 ,” And he warned that if there is no national understanding, President Varela will lead the country to an unprecedented confrontation in the post-invasion phase, which could culminate in the breakdown of the constitutional order http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/crisis-deepens-in-panama-national-assembly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 30, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 30, 2018 Quote Assembly a platform for mud-slinging Posted on March 29, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 74 PANAMA’S National Assembly turned into a verbal mud-slinging platform for deputies of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). On Wednesday, March 29 Their heated rhetoric came during second reading of Bill 514, which seeks to ensure that crimes related to corruption do not lapse. It was aimed at broad spectrum including representatives of Civil Society, who visited the Assembly to support the bill and at President Juan Carlos Varela, currently on an overseas trip. La Prensa reports: “Hot speeches of more than 30 minutes, attacks on the proponents of the initiative, accusations against the current government, economic sectors of the country and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The first off the mark was Jaime Pedrol the PRD deputy from the Ngäbe Buglé comarca, who opined that the “real corrupt people are neck and necktie and not politicians…in prisons right now.” Rage Crispiano Adames, PRD, followed saying that all crimes must have a time parameter to be investigated. “The imprescriptibility as expressed in this bill constitutes a sword of Damocles, as a suspicious test over time. We must analyze the reality that accompanies us. In a country where there is a judicial system that is not independent, in a country with a Constitution that establishes abysmal presidentialism and where there is selective justice.” Obfuscated, with rage, with anger, says La Prensa he launched darts at Annette Planells, leader of the Independent Movement (Movin), one of the promoters of the proposal. “You speak in the media with a passionate intelligence, criticizing the deputies without knowing them, without knowing their trajectory and squandering (sic) their lives. Movin has machineries in the Social Security Fund, upsetting prices, “he said. Varela accused The deputy and general secretary of the PRD Pedro Miguel González did not refer to Bill 514 but used the 45 minutes granted by the President of the Assembly to attack President Varela for his alleged links to bribes paid by Odebrecht. “Varela and his party were linked to the Odebrecht scandal,” said the deputy, who, accused the Public Ministry of applying selective justice in this investigation, and not to investigate the contributions received by the Panameñista Party between 2010 and 2013 on behalf of the construction company. “If Odebrecht gave bribes to politicians in the last administration, who is taking the money from the Panamanian people in the Varela period, which has continued to hire these corrupt companies?” He asked. The deputy concluded his speech by noting that he will take advantage of Bill 514 to include proposals that were left out when the Law on Public Procurement was discussed. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/assembly-a-platform-for-mud-slinging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 30, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 30, 2018 Quote OPINION Panama’s legislators reach new depths Posted on March 29, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 94 Although you can think that it has already been said and you have seen everything in the National Assembly, yesterday’ spectacle in the plenary reached new depths. During the second debate of the draft law of imprescriptibly of corruption offenses, the deputies in their rantings exhibited nothing of their supposed honesty and integrity, while they derided and scolded the brave citizens who support the legislative initiative. The deputies turned the venue into the arena of a Roman coliseum and they were willing to devour themselves, with their demands and pawnshops, to the goodwill of civil society. It is obvious that they are uncomfortable with citizen participation. Panama is a country with a very noble people, who do not deserve that disrespect on the part of those who needed our votes and our taxes for their positions, and behave as true exploiters and feudal lords without true arguments The true is that truth is that as they are not right, they can only resort to the buzz of outrages and haughtiness that unmasks them once more. LA PRENSA, hoyporhoy, Mar 29. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/opinion-panamas-feudal-legislators-reach-new-depths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 3, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted April 3, 2018 Quote OPINION: Panama’s tolerance of corruption Posted on April 2, 2018 in Opinion, Panama HOME of corruption practices Post Views: 131 The numbers are quite eloquent. The government spends too much on its operation, the biggest part destined to pay payroll. Given this panorama, it is clear that policies should be directed to making public spending efficient and that happens through a reduction of the state format, which includes, for example, the tens of millions of dollars spent by the Legislature on fictitious work contracts and in money for the payroll of the deputies. It also includes subsidies, an item that grows with each government, because it sees in them a tool for their supporter’s care. Politicians view the State as an inexhaustible source of money that in many cases ends up in their pockets or in those of their accomplices guarded by impunity. This causes serious consequences for citizens with projects that are not done, Corrupt officials, do everything possible to weaken and hinder the reach of the law and its executors. But the worst consequence is that it creates tolerance for corruption in a society that forgets that their taxes are the ones that feed this despicable behavior. Thus, society ends up behaving like a lamb, at the mercy of the greed of those who must answer for its use … LA PRENSA, hoyporhoy Apl. 2. http://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/opinion-panamas-tolerance-of-corruption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 4, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted April 4, 2018 Quote 12 organized civil groups challenge Assembly Posted on March 27, 2018 in Panama UNITED against Assembly intransigence Post Views: 167 A DOZEN organized civil society groups met on Tuesday, March 27, to voice their concerns as the National Assembly refuses to be accountable for $82 million used in donations and contracts between 2014 and 2017. Olga de Obaldía, director of the Panamanian chapter of Transparency International was accompanied by representatives of the Independent Movement (Movin), The Foundation for Protection of the Sea, The Urban Citizen Network of Panama, Together We Decide, Central General Autónoma de Trabajadores de Panamá, Space for Women, Citizen Alliance for Justice, Center for Environmental Impact, and the I am Afro Panameña Organization. Another point that concerns the groups is the refusal of the National Assembly to comply with the order of the Supreme Court of Justice to publish the report on the expenses of the donations and contracts. This reaction of organized civil society came a day after it was known that the Supreme Court did not admit awarning of unconstitutionality presented by the president of the Assembly, Yanibel Ábrego, against the Law of Transparency. Abrego, through the legal adviser of the National Assembly, former Supreme Court Judge Jerry Wilson, asked for the invalidating of Article 20 of the Transparency Law, which establishes a fine of twice the salary of those who do not provide the required information reports La Prensa. In a communiqué read by de Obaldía, it was emphasized that while the world moves towards more instances of transparency and accountability, the attempt of the Assembly to expand opacity “puts us on alert for the threat it represents for the right of citizens to receive truthful and timely information about the management of public funds. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/12-organized-civil-groups-challenge-assembly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 4, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted April 4, 2018 Quote Assembly buries charges against judges, President. Posted on March 27, 2018 in Panama Quick decisions. Post Views: 227 Following the pattern set by its predecessors, the new Credentials Committee of the National Assembly archived two complaints against Supreme Court Judges on Tuesday, March 27. The Committee, which is itself wrapped in a controversy about its legality also decided not to admit and ordered the filing of three allegations that were pending against President Juan Carlos Varela, as well as a denunciation against the vice-president Isabel De Saint Malo. The committee is responsible for handling complaints against Supreme Court Judges but rarely takes action. In turn complaints involving deputies are handled by the Supreme Court, leading to the widely held perception that the two entities belong to a mutual impunity club. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/assembly-buries-charges-against-judges-president Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 9, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted April 9, 2018 Quote Young voters could help dump corrupt politicians Posted on April 8, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 94 Young people between 18 and 25 years old form an increasing percentage of the Panamanian ma voter registry with the power to exercise suffrage and help curb Panama’s endemic corruption. Between the elections of 2009 and 2014, their share grew 5% and in May 2019 it is estimated that they will represent 20.5% of the electorate. Figures from the Electoral Tribunal (TE) predict that in that age group about 566,416 will exercise their right to vote in the 2019 elections. Of this total, 370. 636 young people will vote for the first time, reports La Prensa Abstention among young people has hovered between 30% and 35% in the last two elections, and the Electoral Tribunal and sectors of civil society are seeking to reduce these figures for 2019. In the 2009 elections, for example, 444, 926 young people were registered to vote, and 299 469 went to the voting booths. For the next elections, in 2014, of 467,168 registered only 328,226. voted. Fighting corruption Iván Aguilar, a student of the Technological University of Panama and member of Generation Movin said that “There’s certainly a lot of young people upset about how the corrupt are taking the reins of the country, and social networks have played a fundamental role so that young people are more informed and see the vote as very important, since it would be the way to convey to the traditional political class the disgust we have and a message that corruption will no longer be tolerated. ” But he acknowledged that there is a large number of young people who are apathetic to everything and have no intention of exercising the vote, so the ET and activists will have to work hard to encourage a larger turnout of young citizens. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/young-voters-could-help-dump-corrupt-politicians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 9, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted April 9, 2018 Quote Movin asks Varela for clear message on corruption Posted on April 8, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 101 The Independent Movement (Movin) has called on Panama President, Juan Carlos Varela, to sanction Bill No. 514, which regulates the imprescriptibility of crimes of corruption that would prevent companies involved in acts of corruption from obtaining government contracts. In a statement on Sunday, April 8 Movin said:“It’s time to strengthen our legal framework, placing our country to the forefront in the fight against corruption, ” On April 3, the plenary session of the National Assembly approved in the third debate the draft Law No. 514, which establishes the statute of limitations for crimes of embezzlement (in its different forms), corruption of public servants and unjustified enrichment. The deputies included as imprescriptible the crimes of embezzlement in their different forms, unjustified enrichment and corruption of public servants. They did not consider the crimes of fraud in the acts of public hiring, influence peddling, abuse of authority and infringement of duties of public servants, which was also proposed the original project. “For Movin, it is clear that this is the time to send an unequivocal message: demand that Whoever wants to win contracts with the State, meets the highest standards of business ethics and have a history of good practices, “the statement said. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/movin-asks-varela-for-clear-message-on-corruption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted May 10, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted May 10, 2018 Quote OPINION: Judges accomplices of corruption Posted on May 9, 2018 in Media Watch, Panama Post Views: 123 The weakest link in the anti-corruption chain is the Judicial Branch. from provincial courts to the full Supreme Court, some rulings, and the behavior of certain Judges and Magistrates arouses serious suspicions about the inclinations of Panamanian justice. An old acquaintance in Judicial high-profile cases, the Fifteenth Circuit Criminal Judge of the First Judicial, District, Lelie Loaiza granted a dismissal to all the accused in the case of a customs corruption network, this despite the fact that bank account movements and interceptions of telecommunications, authorized by the Supreme Court, seem to indicate very serious things. This same judge was the one who returned all his property to [convicted] Rafael Guardia Jaén, former director of the National Assistance Program (PAN). This type of judicial action weakens the moral of Panamanian society, promotes impunity and sends a terrible message to the States servers. If the administrators of justice persist in undermining the fight against corruption, it is clear that they are its greatest accomplices … LA PRENSA,hoyporhoy May 9. http://www.newsroompanama.com/features/media-watch/opinion-judges-accomplices-of-corruption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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