‘Dont play with me says Martinelli as murder rate rockets

President Ricardo Martinelli, under fire for the increasing lack of security in Panama, and a constantly escalating murder rate, reacted with a strongly worded warning  (March 11)..

 "I send a message to all those bastard murderers: Beware … do not play with me."
He told local media that the recent spate of murders in the country cannot continue.

 “We will stop these murderers, by minors or adults,” he said.
He added that there will be no pity or compassion against the murderers, who will go to go to jail and they face the full weight of the law.

Martinelli Spoke of the case of university student Daniel Carrizo Jimenez, 19, who died after being shot during a home invasion in Hato Pintado, Pueblo Nuevo on March 8.

He said the law would need amending for those who kill in cold blood as they did with Daniel.

"It is not good that people are being killed and they (the killers) go unpunished," he said.