Supreme Court rulingl linked to dictatorship events

An Electoral Tribunal (TE) judge compared a recent Supreme Court ruling to events during the military dictatorship and La Prensa founder I. Roberto Eisenmann described the judgment that overturned a ruling of the (TE) as "crazy."

Eisenmann said that the action, backed by Chief Justice Alejandro Moncada Luna, is a threat to democracy.

"Now the great voter of Panama will be Moncada. It will be he who decides who will be president, deputy, mayor and district representative," he said.
Eisenmann said the decision was clearly orchestrated by President Ricardo Martinelli, as the decision benefitted the ruling CD.
"Martinelli kicked the institutional table and told the country: I'm going to do whatever it takes to give me the win," Eisenmann said.
The decision has been roundly criticized, including by the TE itself.
"Never before has there been such political uncertainty," said TE Judge Erasmo Pinilla, comparing the decision to events that took place during the military dictatorship.