Security Minister denies militarized police a threat to democracy

“The National Police are not politicized nor a risk factor for our democracy," said Panama’s Public Security Minister, Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday, Nov. 7.

He made the remarks on the program Open Debate, following the display of weapons and military hardware during the patriot days parades in Panama City (November 3-4).
Numerous prominent citizens spoke out against the show of force, suggesting it was a step backwards towards to the era of the military dictatorship and fearing it was a subliminal message of the desire to hold on to power. Many doubted the aims of the display of heavy weapons in a parade of school bands and cheer leaders.
The display of helicopters, boats, rifles with scopes and assault, among other weapons, for some civil society representatives like Electoral Court judge Guillermo Amado Marquez was considered "excessive and unnecessary".
Meanwhile retired Gen. Ruben Dario Paredes said, "my impression was of concern because there is a tendency in government to arm government forces, yet there is no enemy around the borders. So is the security minister. re-arming to attack his own people? That is his possibly mentality” he said at the time according to La Prensa.
Mulino has reiterated on several occasions that the deployment during the patriotic parades was solely for the purpose of showing that Panama has the necessary equipment to combat crime and drug trafficking.