Presidential meeting therapy for some, cold shoulder for environmentalists participant

Environmentalists got the cold shoulder and others got “stress therapy” at Tyesterday’s meeting  (May 12) between President Ricardo Martinelli, government ministers and representatives of civil groups said a participant.
Raisa Banfield, of the Center for Environmental Advocacy, said on TVN that yesterday’s meeting reminded him of “stress therapy.”

She said the meeting was useful for many people "who said they felt they had to have a say." But such meetings did not lead to the consolidation of democracy.
Banfield pointed out that two people spoke on specific environmental problems, related to the river Pacora and the absence of an environmental policy before the recent announcements on mining and extraction of oil.
There was absolute silence from Martinelli and the ministers who accompanied him.

“The President said that had nothing to do with this meeting, because this was not the place to discuss matters of state."
The meeting, without a preliminary agenda, had been called by Martinelli after complaints from Human Rights groups about constant attacks from the administration.
The President who has recently complained that he is being and blamed for everything bad, has been strongly criticized for restrictions on the media including the roughing up of a Panama America photographer, the harassment of a TVN news team by Presidential police while filming on the Costa Costera, and a $350,000 award against La Prensa for reporting the suspension of a prosecutor under investigation,