A Citizen Attacked the Administrator of the Panama Canal Authority Ricaurte Vásquez

After a video circulated on social media showing a citizen attacking the administrator of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), Ricaurte Vásquez, former President Ricardo Martinelli responded by condemning such actions.  “We condemn this type of behavior, unbecoming of a civilized country, which does great harm to the country,” he stated on social media.  The former president called for the person who made a series of offensive comments against Vásquez to be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”  Attorney Rodrigo Noriega also addressed the issue, saying he felt offended by the insults leveled against the ACP administrator and his wife.  “When hatred mixes with ignorance, infamy results,” he said. 

The video shows a citizen intercepting Vásquez in a public place and beginning to record him without his consent, questioning his salary and calling him a “rat and a thief.”  The citizen’s actions have been widely questioned on social media because his accusation lacks evidence and is not the correct way to demand accountability.  Internet users believe that Vásquez, like all authorities, deserves respect, especially if his family members were present.  “Ignorance is blatant. The Canal is the most important company in Panama, and as owners, we need the best. Its administrator should receive a salary commensurate with his responsibilities. It’s a complete lack of respect,” one Panamanian stated on social media.  Vásquez has not yet commented on the matter, and the identity of the person who made these comments is unknown.