“Corruption? prove it”  says President

President Laurentino Cortizo who has been keeping a low profile as reports of mismanagement during the pandemic flood in hit back at critics in a pre-recorded interview on Telemetro on Sunday, July 26.

Questioned about the lack of transparency and complaints of alleged corruption Cortizo, asked for citizens to provide evidence when they suspect mismanagement with public funds.

“What I do request [is that] in the act where there is evidence of a case of corruption, please … listen to me, there is the Public Ministry, they formally file the complaint, because that helps us, it helps me ” he  said

“I would like to have eyes on every official and on every businessman,” said the leader of a government that in the five months of the pandemic has been involved in scandals over alleged purchases with a price premium, little transparency, and suspicious contracts involving people close to the president who had promised to strike hard and fast against anyone involved in corruption.

Cortizo, who has been harshly questioned by various sectors of the country for the ineffectiveness of the health strategy, and the confusing economic plan to deal with the crisis, ruled out an increase in the amount of money given to the population. He reiterated that the country annually pays $ 1.6 billion in subsidies. He did not say anything about those who do not receive the solidarity bonus and no subsidies. Many of those whose contracts were suspended do not receive that help reports La Prensa.

Cortizo resurfaced at a time when citizens demand leadership and forceful policies to face one of the most critical stages of the pandemic: more than 1,200 deaths, 270,000 suspended contracts, street protests to claim social aid, and supplies for frontline medical workers and smoke and mirrors about the reopening of the third block of economic activity.

The President’s, the administration has been peppered with scandals linked to overpricing of equipment and medical supplies, and little transparency with information on purchases of the pandemic reports La Prensa.

The accusations of alleged corruption in the pandemic even reached the pages of the British weekly The Economist, which on July 16, spoke of the wear and tear of the Cortizo government due to the handling of the pandemic, and stated that in Panama the crisis is aggravated by accusations of alleged corruption to some of the members of the Government. The note mentioned Vice President José Gabriel Carrizo, who serves as Minister of the Presidency; and Rafael Sabonge, head of Public Works, who have been questioned over  “purchases with inflated prices.”

Cortizo, in the interview, assured that “there is zero-tolerance for corruption” and his team knows it.

He ruled out the possibility of increasing the amount of the solidarity bond [currently $100] that is given to people with limited resources, as in countries like El Salvador, where $300 is awarded. “We do not want to make a promise that cannot be fulfilled later,” he said, 

Currently,  there are about 270,000 suspended worker contracts which represents 31% of formal jobs in the private sector. A good part of this population does not receive the solidarity bond, nor subsidies.