Martinellis attack on journalist goes viral

President Ricardo Martinelli’s increasing tendency to  say it as he sees it, or to shoot from the lip, has garnered him more unfavorable publicity  locally and internationally 

Last week he used the "F" word when lashing out at the media in Panama on Thursday, April 19 at a press conference in the presidential palace, he turned his verbal guns on a single  TV journalist.

His outburst was witnessed by Twelve television cameras, mobile units to transmit the speech live. Radio journalists, newspapers and television audiences, and later transmitted internationally.

Says La Prensa “Thousands of Panamanians, anxious to know what the President would say, turned on their televisions for a closer look. The "soap opera". as one commentator named the Panama-Italy scandal, was about to begin.

Martinelli was preceded in the amphitheater by a bevy of cabinet ministers and  close supporter,tourism manager Solomon Shamah to support his first appearance to respond to the Panama bribery scandal that has attracted attention around the world, particularly in Europe

Says La Prensa: “ At 9:10 pm Martinelli appeared. He was impeccably dressed and had a scowl. He said "good night". Two words heard as a dry thunder without rain over the city. He started  by saying how he met Valter Lavítola and tried to explain the links the Italian character had with the Panamanian government and  h hy a contract was  signed for the construction of modular prisons.

Then came the question and answer cycle. The president was on the defensive, irritated. He looked haggard. He had finished calmly but when Ricardo Jaramillo, TVN, asked about the relationship of hisson and Lavítola his attitude changed: "Look, look …My son met Mr. Lavítola as I knew," he replied, then went into detail about the vulnerability of e-mails.

Hugo Famanía, RPC TV journalist, asked: "But despite the dubious status of Mr. [Mauro] Velocci, are you negotiating with him?".

Martinelli lost control and said, "For the love of God … For the love of God, Hugo … For the love of God … You have had drug problems and that does not mean that's why I will not talk to you. I did not know, I did not know this man … I do not know … I, I can you … Now I do not want to talk to you because you had drug problem or had drug problem, that's not fair."

Famanía launched another question: "Mr. President, how do you know what is published in Panama America?".

The president returned to lash out. "Lord, be a little more … a little bit more responsible, please, with those findings, a little bit more responsible, I do not know if you are having problems with their old habits or what, but I want to say that there is a thing called the internet … I respect him a lot … I love him and I hope you never fall into the scourge of drugs again. "

Federico Suarez, left the Chair and  sighed a little. Giselle Burillo, who was just behind the leader, looked at Solomon Shamah (right of the ruler) and briefly shared a look that reflected the confusion of both.

The ex perredista’s eyes rested on Martinelli as  if looking for answers. The president gave  a tight smile, that  was more like a grimace. He left the room next to the ministers who failed to hide his face from shame. The noveleta was finished said La Prensa.

In the era of social networks, indignation also travels through cyberspace. Twitter seemed to explode. Journalists, members of civil society, politicians and ordinary citizens, in 140 words repudiated the attack that night on the Medcom journalist. The journalism guilds were not far behind. ).

Famanía himself admitted yesterday that as a human being he was beaten. However, said he kept temperance, "through the Holy Spirit." … "The President needs now more than ever our prayers, Scripture commands us to be Panamanian and give them," he added.

The assault  on Famanía became international news. CNN interviewed him and he revealed that five hours before the incident  Martinelli, had sent a message in which he alluded to the problem of drugs he had  three years ago.

GOVERNOR DEFENDS MARTINELLI

Amid the voices berating the President's attitude, there was one, expressing solidarity: the governor of Panama, Mayín Correa, who was given her largely ceremonial job by the president and whose grandson was recently appointed Panamanian consul in Toronto.

"I want to talk about the attacks of the journalists on the President, as I am sick of them," she said.

According to Correa, the president has to be understood. She  does not believe that this country has had a more maligned president than Martinelli … "I believe that here we have crossed the line  to believe that insulting the President is free speech," she said.