OPINION: Seeking clarity on political dirty money

The Odebrecht case is an underground protagonist of the 2019 election campaign. Most of the presidential candidates of the established political parties have had direct or indirect links with controversial hiring or electoral donations [bribes] related to Odebrecht. As one of the candidates himself acknowledged, the funds of the Brazilian company went to the main campaigns of the last governments. Where does the tenuous line between corruption and purchase of political influence cross? The investigations led by the Public Prosecutor’s Office must receive the necessary support to clarify the whole plot of the Odebrecht corruption network before the elections of May 5, 2019. It would be a catastrophe for the country that the voters do not really know the extent of the dirty money of the Brazilian construction company. Here, the great void left by the General Electoral Prosecutor’s Office in the fight against corruption is evident, as it failed to investigate Odebrecht’s donations to electoral campaigns, before prescribing such crimes in its jurisdiction. Thus, between fog and darkness, we Panamanians are engaged in the final phase of the electoral process, with an enormous thirst for transparency and a longing for justice. Impunity cannot be the future of Panama. before they prescribed such crimes in their jurisdiction. Thus, between fog and darkness, we Panamanians are engaged in the final phase of the electoral process, with an enormous thirst for transparency and a longing for justice.– LA PRENSA,Dec. 16