Varela mulls over new judges as protests grow

President  Juan Carlos Varela has begun consultations for the appointment of two new judges of the Supreme Court he told local media, after the ceremonies that started the Panama Independence Day celebrations on Friday, November 3.

Judges Jerónimo Mejía and Oydén Ortega will complete their constitutional term in the Court on December 31. Both were appointed in 2007 by the then president of Martin Torrijos for a period of 10 years that ends the last day of the current year.

Varela said:  “The consultations have already begun and people who have knowledge of the issues to be discussed in the Chambers where the appointments will be made are being heard,”.

“I will assume the Constitutional responsibility and appoint the magistrates of the Court to strengthen the Judicial Systems  so that the Panamanian people can have the guarantees that justice will be done,” he said,

His appointments will be closely scrutinized as they come at a time when belief in Panama’s judicial system is at a low ebb, and Varela has eschewed input into the selection by civil society.

Protests have grown against corruption and what is seen as the Court’s  leaning to impunity for high profile defendants.

The last two judges he chose raised concerns as they immediately backed the re-election of controversial Judge Ayu Prado, as president of the Court.

Varela will call the deputies to extraordinary sessions for the month of December, because the ordinary sessions ended on October 31. After National Holidays, the Cabinet Council will address the issues that are expected to be addressed in the extraordinary sessions and the date on which the deputies will be called for the ratification of the new judges.