Government leaders deny pressure on Panama mayor and courts

As civil, religious, and political groups met over the weekend to plan a united front to “fight authoritarianism and preserve democracy” in Panama, government supporters rallied behind the president.

Minister of Labor Alma Cortes who has endured her own headline grabbing trials in recent months and publicly threatened an investigative journalist, was quick to take to the airwaves to deny that  that the executive is interfering in other state bodies, as claimed  by the  political opposition following the resignation of Panama mayor, Bosco Ricardo Vallarino.

 "That is false" said  Cortes of reports that indicate the government pressured judges of the Supreme Court to take out a ruling against Vallarino related to the resolution of the National Assembly returning his nationality in 2009. 

Speaking on TVN , Cortez said there has not been pressure on the Court or the municipality. According to Cortés, Vallarino’s resignation was that of a tired man. From the beginning of  his time in office he had been castigated and all his  efforts blocked. The situation would have been different if the ex-mayor had been "surrounded by people with more experience in the administration of municipalities she said. In the same program, the president of the National Assembly and member of the ruling Democratic Change party José Muñoz, also rejected criticism of the government. Munoz said the country's democracy has been strengthened.  Many people were used to manipulating presidents for their own ends, he said, but they have not managed to do so with Ricardo Martinelli.