Wedge group creating political mischief

A group called Independents for Change which is promoting attack ads on Vice President Juan Carlos Varela",  is a political mischief" says Panama’s Deputy Minister of Government, Javier Tejeira.

The group is believed by many commentators and analysts, to be the brainchild of tourism manager Saloman  Shamah, although not a Minister, a close advisor to  President Martinelli.

The vice minister on the program Sunday Open Debate on Channel 4 , in Panama, said: "there are things that are not talked about” and lamented that  last week the media highlighted the theme of the attack ads  on Varela.Instead of publishing significant events in which the president participated – like the delivery of new garbage compactor trucks..

 That day, the president publicly asked Varela to  resign as vice president and told local media  that a  "man" must accept his responsibilities, Political analyst Jose Blandon said on the debate  program that is not the government that decides what is news, but the media. "It takes  criticism of  the government to  help them understand that when you are the wrong  the prices is high," he added.