3 points confirm institutional crisis ex supreme court judge

The political tension, lack of credibility in the justice system and lack of respect for freedom of expression are factors that confirm the existence of an institutional crisis in a country says a former  former Supreme Court  Judge.

The summing up comes Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño, regarding the clash between political and business sectors on whether or not there is aan institutional crisis in Panama.

The fact that "there is no separation of powers" is for Paul Morales, president of the Ecumenical Committee of Panama, another proof that indeed the country is experiencing a crisis.

Last week, the president of the National Business Council (Conep), Anthony Fletcher, denied there was a crisis. The powerful Chamber of Commerce and Industry  claimed a  lack of consensus  over Fletcher’s assertions which were issued as a press release by the government, and separated from Conep.

Later it was revealed that Fletcher was the beneficiary of over $1 miilion of direct (no bid) contracts from the government

In the midst of the debate, Jonathan Farrar, the new U.S. ambassador in Panama, presented his credentials to the Government on Tuesday. The current Panamanian administration has not received high ratings from previous ambassadors including suggestions  that President Martinelli sought the DEA’s assistance  to wire tap opponents, revealed in WikiLeaks reports of Embassy memos to Washington.

Farrar came to the country with the mission of U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Marco Rubio to "speak out against the dangers that threaten the institutions and democracy in Panama”.