Cops may have  breached constitution with Colombia message

A video showing Panamanian policemen supporting their colleagues in Colombia who have been accused of killing 41 protestors since anti-government demonstrations began on April 28 could be a breach of Panama’s constitution and interference in foreign affairs warn jurists.

“On behalf of the men and women who make up the National Police of Panama, we wish to extend to our colleagues from the National Police of Colombia, a message of solidarity in these difficult times that our sister republic is going through,” says one of the three agents of the entity that take part in the video that lasts one minute and one second.

“As police officers we have the task of preserving coexistence, guaranteeing security, and always defending human rights and the dignity of everything that is manifested,” says a policewoman who appears in the production. In the end, a chorus says: “encouragement and embrace from a distance.”

Article 311 of the Constitution reads: The police services are not deliberative and their members may not make political statements or statements individually or collectively. Neither will they be able to intervene in partisan politics, except for the casting of the vote. Disrespect for this rule will be sanctioned with immediate dismissal from office, in addition to the sanctions established by law”.

In social networks such as Twitter, the video is subject to questioning. “This deserves a complaint about a violation of the Constitution. Indecent and offensive intervention in extremely sensitive issues. Sit down, gentlemen. Do we believe that we have a president? “said former legislator Teresita Yániz de Arias.

José Isabel Blandón, former Panama mayor and president of the opposition Panameñista Party, said: “In my opinion as a jurist, @ProtegeryServir is constitutionally prohibited from making political pronouncements like this one and worse still, on foreign policy, meddling and taking sides in the tense and serious situation that Colombia lives ”.

Colombia has experienced a social upheaval since April 28, as a result of the intentions of the government of Iván Duque to implement tax reform. Citizens opposed this measure with massive protests in the streets.

Duque withdrew his proposal but that did not appease the spirits. On the contrary, millions of Colombians continue to protest in the streets, amid reports of police repression. The non-governmental organization Temblores reports that at least 41 people have died and hundreds injured by the security forces.