Panama on autopilot as country ruled by Twitter – constitutionalist

President Ricardo Martinelli has “left the country on autopilot." while he is  in Germany says constitutional lawyer Miguel Antonio Bernal.

Martinelli returns on Thursday and will travel to Japan and Vietnam later in the week.

This comes at a time when Minister of the Presidency Roberto Henríquez is in hospital after emergency surgery on Sunday, October 14.

President Ricardo Martinelli is ruling the country from abroad because "he is a possessive and controlling person" according to Panameñista representative José Luis Varela.  He made the accusation on Tuesday, October 19 says La Prensa.

According to Varela, "Martinelli lacks confidence in his shadow. All decisions are made by him, and his Ministers will consult with him about the appointment of a messenger." Varela added that the president continues to exert his control from Germany, where he is on a state visit..

Martinelli returns on Thursday, but will leave for Asia on Saturday. According to Bernal, "somebody has to be assuming the responsibility" of running the country." While the Constitution establishes that it should be the vice president, that has not been the case as Vice President Juan Carlos Varela is now in the opposition.
Bernal said that Martinelli is "ruling the country by Twitter" from Germany. This constitutes an "absence of constitutionality," the lawyer said, and every day the situation gets worse.
Secretary of State Communicationa Luis Eduardo Camacho, said that there are no issues with the day-to-day leadership of the country.