Martinelli acquittal leaves doubts, thirst for answers

Despite the fact that throughout the wiretap case the existence of a crime as serious as the violation of intimacy and personal privacy was revealed – and that there were people convicted – the justice system did not achieve the objective of clarifying what happened. For this reason, “society ended up restless, burdened with doubts and thirsty for answers,” said Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of (Cciap)  on Sunday referring to the decision to acquit former President Ricardo Martinelli of political espionage.

The decision, announced November 9, also “undermined the little or no confidence that citizens have in the justice administration system and its components, the Public Ministry and the Judicial Branch,” the group said.

Once again, questions arose as to whether they have capable, effective, efficient, and endowed servants of the essential character to be able to dispense justice in an impartial manner, it said.

The Cciap emphasized that the case was important because “if there is respect for neighbor, life, laws, and nature, there will be a society free from injustice and, therefore, free from corruption. On the other hand, if these are lacking, we are faced with a country with weaker institutions every day, a country without a future to offer its best men and women ”.

For the organization, more than the ruling itself, what is of great concern is the lack of credibility, trust and respect of the citizens towards the judicial processes, “that almost generalized conviction that the decisions are the result of a transaction, not of a deliberation in law ”.

Faced with this reality, the Cciap insisted that this system is the cornerstone by which the process of change that the country requires should be started.

The judges Iveth Francois Vega, Jennifer Saavedra Naranjo, and Marysol América Osorio, considered, unanimously, that no evidence was presented to prove that Martinelli ordered the espionage that was carried out, between 2012 and 2014, by the  National Security Council  (CSN).  from the 150 buildings in Ancón, The investigation did prove that the interceptions and monitoring of at least 150 businessmen, journalists, union leaders, diplomats, magistrates and politicians opposed to Martinelli were never authorized by the Supreme Court.

For these same facts, there are already two people convicted. They are Alejandro Garuz and Gustavo Pérez, who were directors of the CSN in the Martinelli government. Each was sentenced to 60 months in prison.