Martinelli Twitter decision creates political storm, allys resignation

 President Ricardo Martinelli’s  Twittered decision to revoke a cabinet agreement to allow the introduction of a bill  to create a security forces disciplinary board developed into a major political and constitutional storm on Friday, March 9

Condemnation of the president’s moved poured in from politicians, constitutional experts and civil groups.

In the morning Vice-President Juan Carlos Varela raised the issue at a Harvard sponsored conference,  in Panama, and the final blow came with the resignation of Panama’s security minister and ally, Jose Raul Mulino.

Varela, on Friday, told students from across that continent that it was incredible that a subordinate, like the director of the National Police, has more power than the Board of Cabinet.

Varela was referring to the Martinelli announcement via his Twitter account that the resolution issued by the Cabinet, authorizing the Justice Minister to present a project to create a Disciplinary-Administration of Justice, system had been withdrawn.

Martinelli’s announcement came nine days after the Cabinet authorized Mulino, to present the bill before the National Assembly.

The creation of a single office to handle disciplinary processes of officials of the three state security agencies sparked a new conflict between  Mulino, and his deputy and director of the National Police (PN ), Gustavo Perez, who said police had their own disciplinary system.

According to Varela,  Perez was politicizing the police,  and there was no real commitment to professionalize the institution, but rather politicize something that qualifies as a setback for the forces.

Varela's statements were addressed to some 600 students, as part of the opening of the XVIII Summit of the Americas Towards Democracy Program of the University of Harvard,

During his speech, Varela said it was difficult to speak of democracy when in Panama there are serious questions for  the Government on corruption and because what is going on today  is precisely the failure to respect the country's democratic institutions.

Early in the afternoon Mulino, submitted his irrevocable resignation as of March 15 in a six paragraph  letter addressed to the President. 

The letter, was released by the Ministry of Public Security this Friday, a day after the controversy between

Mulino and the National Police director,surfaced.  Mulino entered the Martinelli government as Minister of Government and Justice. With the creation of the Ministry of Public Security  he took over the portfolio on July 1, 2010.  

In the letter Mulino said:“Comments by the Director General of the National Police, Gustavo Perez, are simply unacceptable.” he described the statements of Perez as illegal and unconstitutional

 Despite my affection the friendship for the  President, if you accept and  endorse the foregoing, and if you allow for an open act of ignorance and disrespect to democratic institutions from Mr. Perez to  pass … I hope I'm wrong …  it could disrupt, vital democratic principles and  start a day of mistakes that cost  much to our country decades ago. "

Lawyers, politicians and analysts spoke on Friday of a violation of the constitution , and  a need to control an institutional crisis in addressing this issue. 

Constitutionalist, Miguel Antonio Bernal, said there should not have been  a reprimand from Mulino to Perez, but an "immediate dismissal". 

According to Bernal, the police chief violated Article 311 of the Constitution, which says that this entity is not deliberative. This article states that "Police services are not deliberative and shall not make political statements or representations individually or collectively …nor shall they interfere in party politics, except voting. The contempt of this standard shall be liable to immediate dismissal from office, in addition to the penalties established by law." 

Bernal told La Prensa that Perez violated the Police Act, which states that   police "cannot publicly discuss the decisions of their superiors. ”

 He added that with this new confrontation between Mulino and Perez  it has been shown that in this country “ a policeman  means more than a minister."  Perez should be removed as what has happened is very serious. is very serious,

Political analyst Jose Isabel Blandon told  had said  earlier, that the discussion between these two officers was misguided and dangerous. He said on KW Continente ,  that, the Police Director has created an institutional crisis, assuming a power and a role that is not in the Constitution. That attitude is an open violation of the law and the rules. "Whenever the police are sent in it is not Minister Mulino, but the President."

 Secretary general of the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Mitchell Doens, told La Prensa that the crisis is "born of improvisation and deep contradictions within the government of Ricardo Martinelli."  Doens accused Martinelli of wanting to control every part of the country: "So you can do what suits you,"

Former Minister of Public Works  Benjamin Colamarco said that the elimination of the bill proposing to create the Disciplinary Administration of Justice is a "disavowal of a Cabinet decision." 

Colamarco said on Telemetro Report , that the Cabinet is a "collegial" body and that if the project was approved it was because there was consensus on the basis of procedures and protocols.