Marta de Martinelli declines  Vice President candidacy

Marta de Martinelli declined her candidacy as vice president of Panama, for the Realizing Goals (RM) party and Alianza through a letter addressed to the Electoral Organization Directorate of the Electoral Tribunal on Tuesday, October 11.

 The resignation was communicated on Tuesday, October 10, in a notarized note sent to the Electoral Organization Directorate of the Electoral Tribunal (TE).

Linares de Martinelli alleges an alleged intention of the TE to hinder her application, making interpretations about the constitutionality or otherwise of her candidacy, which, according to her, is the sole responsibility of the Supreme Court not of the TE magistrates.

“In no way will I lend myself to this ‘dirty game’, which is why I have decided to resign my candidacy as vice president of the Alliance to Save Panama payroll,” she wrote.

Shortly after, the TE issued a statement in which it “strongly” rejects the “absurd and unfounded” accusations of the former first lady.

In the letter, Linares de Martinelli reiterated that the country needs the candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, for this group, “ to have the opportunity to choose his running mate to accompany him in the May 2024 elections, but “There is overwhelming fear on the part of supporters that they could affect the future of this payroll .”

In the Electoral Court bulletin on Wednesday, the entity accepted the resignation of Linares de Martinelli and proceeded to annul the resolutions where her candidacy for the position of vice president was admitted.

On September 24, the former president announced his wife as his running mate for the May 5, 2024 elections.

Several reactions arose regarding her nomination, some related to article 193 of the Constitution, which states who cannot be elected vice president of the Republic.