OPINION – Flouting the Constitution

The Government, through simple decrees and resolutions, openly violates fundamental principles and guarantees of the Republic of Panama enshrined in its Political Constitution . The most recent executive decree – No. 71 of last February 5 – grants powers to the Minister of Health so that, by means of a resolution, he can establish at will “restrictions on the mobility of people, curfew, total quarantine, reopening of activities and any other measure necessary to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 ”.For months, Panamanians have understood the need to restrict the mobility of the country’s inhabitants, but the authorities for months have been abusing a power that conflicts with our Magna Carta. A minister cannot by himself order these limitations and, especially, when it implies abuses like the ones we are seeing. These measures are regulated in the Sanitary Code and respond to specific situations, so it is incomprehensible that decrees continue to be approved in that direction. In the content of our Constitution and of the laws there is no new normal. They are respected as they are, and not at the whim of a capricious government. LA PRENSA, Feb. 8