Criticism of Martinelli rule will deepen says media owner

The pressure of Panama's most influential  daily newspaper  on the Martinelli administration will not ease because of  the government  seizure  of 35 lots  of the Coronado  Golf Development Company worth nearly $4 million

The company's president and legal representative is Roberto Eisenmann Field, founder of the newspaper La Prensa  which faced many battles with former dictator Antonio Noriega.

The  government  tax office( DGI)  has demanded that  Coronado Golf Development pay $3,760,355 for alleged deficiencies in the statements of income tax (ISR) in fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010, taxes and transfer of tangible personal property and services (ITBMS), 2007 to June 2011. The claim, contained in two resolutions of April 20  2012 – was appealed to the Tax Tribunal.

These resources have not  yest been resolved, so the DGI would not have jurisdiction to act against Coronado Golf Development. and 35 lots with a value of $3,740,580 and are part of PH Suite Hotel Coronado in Chame. 

The decision was made on Tuesday, May 2, and sent to Eisenmann's lawyers Thursday. 

Eisenmann is a harsh critic of President Ricardo Martinelli has questioned and various acts of government corruption. "If they had any knowledge of me, they  would know that the things they do will  deepen my protests and my criticism of the state," said the businessman. 

Since last November, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) found, when analyzing the situation, of freedom of expression in Panama, said that  the mainstream media and journalists in the country are under some kind of threat, and specifically cited cases of tax audits and attacks via social media.