MEDIA WATCH: Inaction or Odebrecht cover up?

Editorial La Prensa, Jan 21

TOMORROW marks 30 days since the US Department of Justice confirmed that Constructora Norberto Odebrecht confessed to the payment of at least $59 million to senior Panamanian officials and their close associates.

In the month that has passed, nothing has happened in our country. Nothing! No goods seized, no offices searched no officials or businessmen investigated.

This lack of action contrasts with what is happening in other countries where Odebrecht has business. From action in Peru, to e x-ministers and in Colombia facing justice.

Of the 12 countries where the company acknowledged that it paid bribes , only  three  retain what appears to be blatant impunity: Angola, Mozambique and Panama.

We are the Skyscraper country, but also Panamanian politics has condemned us to be part of this shameful league of nations. Are we ever going to leave the company  of those with so little credibility?

And if that  was not enough, The President of the Republic, political administrator of our State, warmly asks confidence in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, while openly ignoring public concerns   and does not instruct his ministers to become prosecutors in legal proceedings into  Odebrecht as consequences of their corruption.

Nor does he instruct them to proceed civilly against this company, as was  done  with Finmeccanica, in order to recover the costs and the high damages against the country.

Worthy of condemnation is The Government’s reaction, to label the Odebrecht affair as a media affair is worthy of condemnation , when it really is a reflection of the greatest rot of the Panamanian political class.

Mr. President: The country expects from its top leader concrete actions that demonstrate genuine interest in knowing the truth, no matter who falls.

Do not forget that, despite all the alarms and warnings, your government awarded contracts to Odebrecht  of more than $2,5 billion with the excuse that other bids were unprofessional. You also have  a lot of responsibility for  this enormous blunder.

Now, citizens disgusted with so much corruption, demand that you move from the discourse to the facts and comply with your inalienable duty to recover what has been stolen and to know the whole truth.

The best heritage to leave to your country is not works. Your best legacy is to  take the necessary measures to achieve a frontal fight against corruption and  see that justice be done.

President Varela, Ministers of State: This is not a media issue.