Scandal ridden ex-deputy re-named  ambassador

A former deputy and ex-president of the National Assembly, who was immersed in scandals during his reign as president of the National Assembly is back on the list of Panama’s ambassadors.

For the second time, Enrique Garrido is listed as ambassador. to Bolivia, a post he held during the Ricardo Martinelli administration stated according to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Garrido was president of the Assembly between 1999 and 2000. During his administration, a scandal broke out due to alleged irregularities in payroll and recruitment of personnel in the state body.

In 2004, he was also denounced for alleged delivery of checks for scholarships to voters two months before the elections of that year.

“Garrido is a political ambassador, first as Panamanian now Molirena (…) I do not

know his management in Bolivia but obviously it is a political trophy,” political analyst Edwin Cabrera. Told TVN News

Olga De Obaldía head of the Panama Chapter of Transparency International said: “We see in every government appointments in the diplomatic service that do not come from the diplomatic career.”

The information about Garrido is part of a list requested by TVN News from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.