Presidency spin boss questions journalists court testimony

THE DESCRIPTION of the Italian court cases alleging bribery of Panamanian government official, has changed from “an Italian Novela” to being  “ part of a systematic campaign of lies."

The latest statement comes from The Presidency spin master Luis Eduardo Camacho, who announced on Monday, that the Presidency will ask for an explanation from the Spanish group Prisa-Radio about statements made by its Italian correspondent, Juan Solés, on the Finmeccanica case.

"The journalist has been cited on several occasions by the opposition newspaper La Prensa, and offers these statements as a correspondent of the Prisa-Radio Group; so given the good relations with this corporation, we will make enquiries about his position,",said the Secretary of Communication through a statement on the website presidencia.gob.pa.
Camacho said the administration has a "respectful and cordial" relationship with managers and journalists from the Prisa-Radio group.
"Therefore, we will draw attention to the concerns we have of the statements that were made in the opposition newspaper La Prensa, which according to the statement “is part of a systematic campaign of lies,"
Solís has said that he has received death threats due to his reporting on the case, which involves allegations that bribes were paid to Panama officials in exchange for lucrative defense contracts.
The correspondent reiterated those threats last week during a hearing in Naples involving former premier Silvio Berlusconi and the imprisoned businessman Valter Lavítola, for alleged political corruption.
Edwin Cabrera, director of Radio Panama – representing Prisa-Radio in Panama – said that the Presidency release was "irresponsible."