OFF THE CUFF: Soap operas, home and away

FORMER President Ricardo Martinelli is fond of calling the ongoing Italian corruption trials in which his name continues to surface a “soap opera”, but nearer to home there is a Panama soap featuring Carlos “Tito” Afú
 Afú a member of the CD, first gained notoriety in the Martin Torrijos presidential era when he stood up in the National Assembly waving 6000 dollar bills, alleging that it was bribe money that had been offered to him and other deputies to approve a controversial construction project. The “exposure” came days after he had been accused of receiving massive bribes for voting approval of the unpopular appointment of two Supreme Court Judges.
Recently Afú s victory in the 7-1 circuit May election was annulled by the Electoral Tribunal (TE), after a hearing revealing the expenditure of millions of vote buying government dollars in the campaign. A by-election has been called.
On Monday,October 13, Afu now a member of the CD, returned to the fray presenting a criminal electoral complaint against PRD candidate Ovidio Díaz. The complaint Afú – – and his lawyer, Hugo Polo, in the Electoral Office. He is accusing Díaz of electoral fraud. The complaint is motivated by the presence of Díaz at the launch of the basic health program in El Muñoz, Las Tablas, last week. That ceremony was attended by President Juan Carlos Varela. Afú said he has not ruled out filing a complaint against the president as well. Afú asked the TE to disqualify Díaz as a candidate in the special election that will be held in the 7-1 circuit. A date for the election has yet to be determined.