OFF THE CUFF: Russia a target for Panama farmers?
TAXPAYER DOLLARS – The Tribunal Electoral (TE) has begun an investigation into the advertising spending by 47 state institutions during the 2014 electoral process.
The Electoral Code limits advertising spending by state agencies during a campaign to its average during the six months prior to the contest. That prevents government candidates from using state resources to promote their candidacies.
The directors of agencies that violate the regulation can be fined from $2,000 to $10,000 for exceeding the limit.
The TE will examine advertising spending from January to May. They have a big task ahead.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS– The Russian ban on imports of meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables from the European Union and the United States could be a door opener for Central American products. Russia spends about $2.7 billion a year on fruits and vegetables from Europe and … $1.3 billion in food and agricultural products from the USA
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in a government meeting that Russia no longer allows the importation of meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy products from the EU, USA, Australia, Canada and Norway.” Moscow has also banned the purchase of agricultural products from Poland, citing public health reasons.
PARADISE -the most overworked word in the vocabulary of Tour operators and rea estate operators when describing Panama, but it has a special resonance for fugitives from justice some of whom slip into the country as “political refugees”.
One of those was María del Pilar Hurtado who was allowed in I 2010 when fleeing from Colombia where she was wanted for a variety of crimes committed when she was the country’s spy chief under a previous president. She was wanted for corruption, tapping phones of judges, opposition politicians and journalists embezzlement and more. Panama granted her asylum but that move was recently called unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Colombia has filed an extradition request, but the Foreign Ministry has denied it and says the decision was based on the fact that a request had been denied previously on the same grounds and with respect to the same person.
Hurtado has no legal status in Panama, and would be subject to a fine if stopped by Immigration authorities and would then have seven days to leave the country. Her whereabouts are unknown, and there are doubts she is still in Paradise.
