Martinelli and CD face of with Electoral Tribunal

WITH barely  two months to the election, President Ricardo Martinelli appears to have opened a widening rift between the ruling Democratic Change (CD)party and the Electoral Tribunal.(TE).

The first shots were fired by a government employee,the Presidential spin master spokesman for the presidency Eduardo Camacho, when he implied tampering with the vote count. He was followed quickly by the president. https://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/7290-martinelli-casts-doubt-on-election-vote-counting.html

Civil Groups, the Chamber of Commerce and political commentators have reacted strongly to the attacks on the integrity of the TE, which has been outspoken in its replies to what it describes as malicious interference.
Ob Thursday, February 27 the CD party took out full page advertisements in local newspapers to print a lengthy(over 1000 words) explanation of its allegations.
The message was signed by Minister of the Presidency, Roberto Hemriquez in his role as Vice-President of ther CD party.
Tribunal Judge Eduardo Valdés Escoffery quickly responded that there are no problems with the computer system that will be used to tally votes in the May 4 election as alleged by the ruling CD.
According to the magistrate, the TE will release evidence refuting the claims of the CD, in their paid political announcement.
"You don't have to be technical to understand," said Valdes Escoffery.
The CD hired consultants which examined the equipment earlier this month. The consultants identified seven alleged "deficiencies" in the system, which was provided by Centauri Technologies, a company owned by a member of the PRD.
The TE has defended the performance of the company, saying it was responsible for the vote counting in the 2009 election, which the CD won.