President reacts to candidate’s gang links report

President he president of the Republic, Juan Carlos Varela, reacted on Thursday, March 28 to reports in La Prensa revealing that Elías Vigil, the candidate of the president’s Panameñista Party, competing for a seat in the National Assembly that covers some red areas dominated by gangs uses a vehicle linked to gang leaders.

“My job is to fight against organized crime. What the newspaper describe today is a problem that is affecting many sectors of society and even the political parties, “said Varela.

The President called for the cases to be investigated and prosecuted if the authorities so determine.

Organized crime
La Prensa noted in its report that “Elías Vigil Pérez, who is tunning to become a deputy for the circuit 8-10, which includes the corregimientos considered red zones of the province of Panama, uses in his campaign a vehicle of Carlos Roberto Aguilar Becerra, alias “Rober”, linked to a gang known as HP, which local authorities associated with criminal activities, including extortion, robbery, murder and organized crime. “