Lawmaker opposes gays entry to Assembly

PRD lawmaker Jairo Salazar, denied the right of members of the LGBTI community to enter the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, October 29  during discussion of the draft bill on the General State Budget for fiscal year 2019-2020.

“Why are we going to let them in? Why? They are gay And why don’t we let the entire town in? Nooo … they are gay and can’t come in,” says an audio circulating on the social networks and television media.

Student groups of the University of Panama civil rights activists and members of the LBGTI community, arrived at the Assembly to be present during the debate on the General State Budget and to express their rejection of constitutional reforms constitutional that were approved in third debate on Monday.

When the sign-waving protesters they found all the entrances to the legislature enclosure closed, so they demanded the opening of gates, shouting slogans against the deputies. They were faced by riot police using pepper spray.

After almost an hour of protesting, the independent deputy, Juan Diego Vásquez, went out to meet the picketers. “The law is clear, any citizen who wants to enter can do so, but with respect and listen to the debates,” J Vásquez explained to the protesters who asked to enter the assembly.

In his Twitter account he wrote: “It cannot be that being on the agenda the discussion of the General State Budget 2020 does not allow people to enter the Assembly to listen to the discussions in the stands. Unacceptable”.

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