Nearly 60% believe President involved in Paitilla land deal

Nearly 60 percent of Panamanians think "President Ricardo Martinelli and his associates are involved with the free transfer of land in Punta Paitilla" according to a telephone survery of 600 people. 

In contrast, only 22% think the President had no part in the process, and 18.1% said they did not know or preferred not to comment.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or  minus 4% and was conducted  Wednesday August 31 and  Thursday September by Unimed and commissioned by La Prensa.

Predictably, the percentage of those suspected of  the president’s involvement in the controversial transfer (59.4%)  is higher among those who in the 2009 elections, voted for Balbina Herrera (78.6%), Guillermo Endara (61.3%) or nullified their votes (72.9% ). However, skepticism is not just among opponents, but is felt even among those who supported him in 2009.

Within this group, 53.7% believe that Martinelli had something to do with the free land grab, with a potential  market value of up  to $40 million.

The survey notes that the segment with the highest concentration of people who suspect the President, is not dictated by political affiliation, but by their economic level.

Among those reporting incomes above $3,000 dollars,  83.1% think that the award of the lot in Punta Paitilla involved Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal,

The controversial field of 11 000 square 379 meters, located in Punta Paitilla, has been embroiled in scandal since it was donated to the city  for use as a park by a florist

The vice president, Juan Carlos Varela,  has challenged the Minister of the Presidency, Demetrio Papadimitriu, to clarify to the public what happened and who was responsible for the free gift . According to Varela, when the issue was discussed at the Extraordinary Council Cabinet on 24 August,  he  "saw the  whole Government kneeling" to the interests of two businessmen.

The former Minister of Economy and Finance, Alberto Vallarino, also questioned the allocation of land free of charge, which clearly belonged to the nation.