Arias claims no link with Martinelli activists that created judicial uproar

CD PRESIDENTIAL candidate José Domingo Arias has distanced himself from the pro- Martinelli activist group, Panama Advances, that has stirred up a judicial storm.

On Friday, November 15 he sidestepped questions on the recent dispute between the Tribunal Electoral (TE) and the Supreme Court over an ad by the CD group headed by President Ricardo Martinelli’s former press secretary, that attacked PRD presidential candidate Juan Carlos Navarro.

The decision written by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alejandro Moncada Luna overturned the ruling on the ad by the Electoral Tribunal. Luna’s ruling was later overturned amidst calls for the judge's resignation due to a perceived attempt to influence electoral issues. It has created a storm among lawyers, civil groups
Domingo Arias said that he cannot speak about the actions of the organs of the state, since he has to be careful to respect the separation of powers, reports La Prensa.
He added that he has no link with Panama Advances, the group that ran the ad, though he admitted that the group supports his candidacy.
He said that decisions made by them were independent of his campaign.
"This is a world where there is freedom for everyone to express their political opinions," he said. "I take responsibility for my actions and opinions, but I have nothing to do with Panama Advances nor with any other movement"