Presidents advice to public prosecutor raises hackles

President Ricardo Martinelli’s “advice” to the man who supplanted Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez has raised has generated controversy and criticism In Panama.

At a police graduation ceremony, the president, with microphone in hand addressed his  appointee to the top prosecuting job, Giuseppe Bonissi, and said: "I want to ask the attorney who will not shake your hand, or the prosecutors or the judges, to investigate and do justice independently,"
He added: "It can no longer be that justice is applied to the children of the cook and the ‘cocotudos’  (people with money) walk free."

Bonossi responded: “It will be hard, very hard.”
Magaly Castillo, director of the Citizens Alliance for Justice, said the president’s actions have helped "cocotudos", not "children of the cook."

As an example she cited the adoption of Act 68 of 2009, which increased outrageously the punishment for minor theft, but not for crimes such as embezzlement or unjustified enrichment.
those "If the maid steals goods from the house, the penalty is five to 10 years in prison and there is no bail. But for who engage in corruption the penalty is two to four years," Castillo said.
Former Vice President Guillermo Ford advocated respect for the separation of powers and urged Martinelli not to meddle Martinelli in the Public Ministry.

"Telling him not to shake the hand is practically forcing [Bonissi] to take action against his will. I hope that this does not happen, "Ford said.

The president of the National Bar Association, Ruben Elias Rodriguez wonderered if Bonissi will not "shake hands" to investigate matters involving Martinelli fellow party members "as happened with the Social Investment Fund.”

The president of the opposition PRD, Francisco Sanchez Cardenas, said that it is "common" for Martinelli to interfere in matters not within his competence, and to put pressure on other state bodies.

On January 2 in the Assembly Martinelli told Ana Matilde Gomez who was still in office as Attorney General, not to be afraid to investigate "who named her to office," referring to ex-president Martín Torrijos, said Cardenas.