OPINION: Asylum, a ticket to impunity

The Government of Laurentino Cortizo continues without ruling on the political asylum the Daniel Ortega regime granted to a former Panamanian president found guilty of money laundering after a long judicial process that began in 2017. If the current Government grants the safe conduct that he has requested or that the foreign government intends to request for the convicted person to travel to Nicaragua, would tacitly recognize that this subject is a politically persecuted person, an inadmissible speech, because we were all witnesses – during the live television broadcast of the trial – not only that all of his guarantees, but about how the Public Ministry proved fraud in the purchase of the media that this former official has controlled for years. But, furthermore, if he is granted safe passage, the work of dozens of people who arduously contributed to formulating a corruption case would be thrown overboard, efforts crowned with the conviction of the subject and his accomplices. Finally, the message that entrenched crime in the Government would receive would be that, regardless of their crimes, they have one ace up their sleeve: ask for asylum and obtain a ticket to impunity from the government in power. And that is unacceptable. – LA PRENSA, Feb. 9.