Electoral prosecutor should act on campaign ads and spending Carter Center

THE USE OF public resources in favor of any candidate and dirty campaign ads, are proscribed by law and should be investigated by the electoral prosecutor says the Carter Center.

At the invitation of Panama’s Electoral Tribunal, The Carter Center and the Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter sent a delegation January 14-18, to learn about the electoral conditions leading up to the May 4 national elections.

 The delegation notes that Panamanian electoral law does not regulate campaign finance. There are no limits on contributions or on spending; nor is public disclosure of campaign revenues required.
The delegation found that Panamanian civil society organizations and economic and political actors are very engaged and that all political parties participate in the consultative National Council of Political Parties of the Electoral Tribunal. There is widespread confidence in the capacity and integrity of the Electoral Tribunal to run the elections.
Nevertheless, says a statement issued Wednesday, January 22, the delegation heard a number of concerns including a perceived weakening of the separation of powers; unequal campaign conditions; lack of tolerance by political authorities to criticism, which discourages open debate; and bias in the media including undue criticism of the government.
The Center will continue to monitor closely the development of the political process and will consider how it may contribute to a peaceful and competitive electoral process.
Finally, The Carter Center urges all Panamanians and their institutions to abide by the constitution and the electoral law and to respect the values and principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
The delegation included Dr. Carlos Ayala, former president of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights and member of the Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter; Dr. Jennifer McCoy, director of the Carter Center’s Americas Program; Marcelo Varela-Erasheva, associate director of the Center’s Americas Program; and Ana Caridad, program associate of the Center’s Americas Program.
The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide Visit www.cartercenter.org to learn more about The Carter Center.