As protesters plan march on Assembly Cortizo partially vetoes electoral bill

Faced with yet another protest march on the National Assembly over electoral reforms perpetuating impunity and privileges for lawmakers, President Laurentino Cortizo,  bit the bullet and announced that he will partially veto bill 544, which reforms the Electoral Code.

A tweet published on the account of the Presidency, says that “after the corresponding evaluations” the document will be returned to the AN.

It has not been specified which articles will be banned. The Electoral Tribunal had already communicated the rejection of at least four articles of the project.

Only six deputies voted against the electoral reforms endorsed on Friday, October 15, while public rejection intensified.

According to the website of that state body, 52 deputies voted in favor of the project, six voted against, and 13 deputies were absent when voting took place.

Of the 52 votes in favor, 28 were from deputies of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). The remaining 24 are from Cambio Democrático, the Liberal Republican Nationalist Movement, and the Panameñista Party. In the group of 13 who were absent, there are deputies from all the benches.

Meanwhile, civil society, including trade unions, workers’ groups, and women’s organizations, and others, were preparing for the October 20, march to the Legislature.

 One of them is the “Mesa Ciudadana”, a movement in defense of democracy created in the context of the debate on electoral reforms, which called on citizens to join the march. Meanwhile, the National Forum of Women of Political Parties issued a statement in which they detailed their rejection of the project, particularly for the articles that contemplate parity.

The Electoral Tribunal, for its part, announced that it will request President Laurentino Cortizo to veto the project. In addition, they said that they will demand some articles before the Supreme Court.