Deputy in homophobic storm will be national day flag bearer

As President, Laurentino Nito Cortizo, struggles cool down criticism of  lawmakers votes on the constitution and their backing of amendments to  further line their pockets and  strengthen their impunity he announced on Saturday, November 2   that he will not endorse constitutional initiatives that allow discrimination based on sexual orientation or skin color,

On the same day in  Colón, it was confirmed that Deputy  Jairo ‘ Bolota ‘Salazar, who has been widely labeled homophobic, following an outburst against demonstrators will be the flag bearer of the national parades on Monday, November 4.

On October 30, in the presence of a group of students, workers, civil society activists and members of the LGTBI community demanding the withdrawal of constitutional reforms, Salazar said that these “gay” people could not enter the Assembly because of their  sexual orientation “No, why are we going to let them in? Why are they gay? And why don’t they let the entire town in? No; they are gay; they are gay and they can’t enter,” he said.

Salazar and several deputies included in the project of constitutional reforms an amendment to article 56 of the Constitution so that the State only recognizes the marriage between a man and a woman. This, according to Salazar, was at the request of religious sectors and for their beliefs.

Cortizo later tried to make a nod to those who warn that the reform aims to exclude some Panamanians from the Constitution. “We have to get used to differences, to diversity. Just as we do not want to be discriminated against, for example, by the color of people, by economic status, by political ideals, we also do not want to be discriminated against by sexual preferences.” , said Cortizo, who has said what he thinks personally about marriage is one thing and another is what the Constitution should establish .

Salazar’s designation as flag bearer was made by a board of celebrations appointed by the Municipal Council of Columbus, composed mostly of militants of the official Democratic Revolutionary Party. (PRD)

The flag bearer on  November 5 is Olympic gold medalist Irving Saladino.

November 5 is Olympic gold medalist Irving Saladino.