Ousted Ombudsperson says her replacement linked with reporter

 IN A DRAMATIC turn round, a day after being removed from office Panama’s former ombudsperson accused her successor of being in cahoots with the reporter who broke the story that led to her exit.

Patria Portugal said Thursday, July 25, that Deputy Ombudsman Javier Mitil, who replaced her, acted in complicity with La Prensa journalist Luis Buron-Barahona.

"I am completely innocent of all the charges…It is bad misinformation that he [Mitil] has been providing with this journalist from La Prensa," said Portugal she said on TVN Channel 2.

She  was accused of lavish overspending for a website design ($250,000) and for advice to staff on client relationships ($200,000) plus items like a $3000 sofa, and vastly increased office rental, At the time the contracts were signed she acquired an $87,000 Lincoln SUV,
In that same interview, Portugal indicated that Mitil should not replace her since he was also working in the agency when the contracts were issued.
Buron-Barahona denied any contact with Mitil, who claimed to have seen him for the first time on Thursday when he went to cover the events of the day at the headquarters of the Ombudsman, on Calle 50.
The journalist said that the contracts in question were published on the government web site,www.panamacompra.gob.pa.
 Mitil said Thursday the state resources should not have been abused by the office under Portugal.
The Supreme Court has given the Attorney General two months to complete investigations into charges of embezzlement.