Martinelli calls for decency: labels opponents liars and thieves

IN THE MIDST of the institutional crisis generated by the conflict between the Electoral Court and the Supreme Court , President Ricardo Martinelli turned his guns on opposition politicians in Panama t to accuse his political opponents of "lying " and "stealing " Government money.
"They stole the money , always lied, and continue to lie." he said in La Villa de Los Santos, on Sunday November 10 where he participated in parades to celebrate the 192nd anniversary of the proclamation of independence of Los Santos . "Where was the money? The money in this government is in the works, and as they cannot criticize the works , they want to criticize the price, " said Martinelli hours before sharing lunch with the candidate Jose D. Arias and former president Mireya Moscoso.
The president, no slouch at insulting politicians, businessmen and members of civil society on Twitter, asked for an improvement in the level of political discourse, reeports La Prensa.
Referring to a recent episode at the opening of the Electoral Tribunal when he was booed by civil rights protesters, he said: "They would boo the Pope if you paid them. In this country they have confused liberty with license. We must raise the level of political debate, we must raise decency.”
Meanwhile, associations of lawyers and civil society have announced new protests against the ruling of the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court , negating an Electoral Tribunal decision to ban a personalized attack advertisement by a group of government supporters, headed by Martinelli’s former media spokesman.