Panama anti-corruption march fizzles

IN THE DOMINICAN  Republic they marched in their thousands to protest corruption, impunity, and involvement of the political hierarchy in the Odebrecht bribery scandal.

The demonstrations were even greater  in countries with larger  populations across Latin America where Odebrecht  had spread its evil largesse to obtain government contracts and where  many  once protected heads have already rolled.

In  Panama  justice moves at a slower pace and those implicated in major crimes use the monies  they have acquired to escape detention and return to their luxurious lifestyle  funded  by  corruption.

Daily the skins on basketfuls of rotten apples are  pealed back by anti-corruption prosecutors, revealing the worms that have remained hidden as they gorged themselves on the  fruit that belongs to the people.

All of which would lead  anyone following the daily newscasts to presume that an anti-corruption protest march inma would at least match the Dominican turn out.

But , on Tuesday August 1, those who gathered at El Carmen Church could barely be counted in their hundreds  The  parade was organized   Antonio Bernal whose protest antecedents go back to the days of the military dictatorship, and whose exposure of the activities of the  former rector of the University of Panama has led to multiple charges.

The parade was organized by  Antonio Bernal whose protest antecedents go back to the days of the military dictatorship, and whose exposure of the activities of a cabal  at the University of Panama has led to multiple charges against the  former rector

The protest  was held only hours after the announcement that Odebrecht has agreed to pay a fine of $220 million, for its bribery and money laundering activities. in Panama. The sum is a fraction of the $10 billion received from successive   Panama governments, and payment is spread over many years.

Meanwhile the current president’s name has been linked to Odebrecht in statements made in Spain and Panama.

But nothing seems to  spur the population to add their voices to the marching few calling for jail for the corrupt robbers of the national treasury.