Mayor accused of using State resources for election campaign.
A COMPLAINT was filed against the mayor of Panama , Roxana Mendez on Tuesday April 8 alleging that she used state resources for the benefit of her re-election campaign.
The action is punishable under the Electoral Code, Article 392 reports La Prensa
That article states in paragraph 6 that those who " illegitimately utilize the assets and resources of the State for the benefit or against particular candidates or parties legally constituted or training " are punishable by imprisonment of six months to three years or disabled in their public functions for one or three years.
Attorney Carlos Herrera Morá said Mendez , used her position as head of the Municipality of Panama to promote the opening of a soup kitchen jwhile on vacation and when there was a stand in for her job as mayor.
According to the lawyer, this action could only benefit her, during her campaign
Moran, presented to the electoral prosecutor a series documentation that contains, among other things, the date Méndez requested vacation.
Her campaign team says, the Mayor has suffered ill health since the weekend.
Mendez sent a statement to the media, explaining that she was in the office on April 1 , a day before the opening of the soup kitchen .
She says that although she requested 5 days vacation, she used only one on Monday March 31..
She produced a note to fellow CD insider Mayín Correa, Governor of Panama which says she was returning to “my work as mayor of the District of Panama on Tuesday 1 April this year ; therefore , request cancellation of my vacation from this date”.