Call for national front against Martinelli after mayors resignation

The Vice President and President of the Panamenista Party, Juan Carlos Varela, lashed out Thursday against president, Ricardo Martinelli, following the resignation of City Mayor, Bosco Ricardo Vallarino.

The Mayor who had checked into the National Hospital on Wednesday evening the day after a late night  confrontation with the president submitted his resignation on Thursday for health reasons.

The much criticized former mayor had a bumpy ride while in office and before, and was awaiting a Supreme Court decision about  the constitutionality of the National Assembly returning his citizenship  after he failed to disclose when running for office that he  was an American Citizen.

It was widely believed that the court would rule against the Assembly for granting his citizenship retroactively. But although unpopular because of  a series of highly publicized missteps the mayor’s resignation has prompted critics of the government to step out and once again rail against what they see as the autocratic style of  Martinelli.

Varela accused him of using "intimidation and threats of reprisals from state institutions to oust a political opponent and replace the mayor with a member of his ownparty Democratic Change.”

Varela, accompanied by board members of the Panamenista party, said that the "authoritarian" Martinelli is leading the country "to a confrontation, breaking the constitutional order and disrespecting  the separation of powers of all the authorities elected by popular vote."

"What he has  done to Mr. Vallarino announced chronicles what awaits all Panamanians if we don’t put a stop to the autocrat who misgoverns us today," Varela said in a  Thursday press conference.

Varela  called on all sectors, without distinction of political or religious beliefs, to build a "broad front" defense of the country's democratic institutions.

He did not rule out the possibility of seeking an alliance with the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) to form the front. Until August 30, the Panamenista party was a coalition partner with Martinelli’s Democratic Change party

"We will continue denouncing the abuses of the current regime, the lack of transparency in the management of public funds, scandals like Jaun Hombrón, the premium on the purchase of radars, among others, and fight against the claims of institutions using the State for the benefit of President Martinelli, "said Varela.

He denied earlier stories had indicates that Vaela would present his resignation as Vice President. "First Martinelli resigns as president," he said.

Earlier, the president said Vallarino had  informed him that he intended to resign due to health problems.

"The Panamenistas may say more but that was all that happened," he said  at noon on Thursday and claimed that Vallarino was a friend. He then took off with Jimmy Papadimitriu, Minister of the Presidency, for a ceremony in Colombia marking the Colombia-Korea-US Free Trade Agreements.

At about 7:00 pm, the president issued  a statement:"Varela did the only thing he can do, talking about politics. The Government, however, speaks for his deeds. "

Meanwhile, the People's Party rejected "the arbitrary actions of concentration of power and demolition of democratic institutions" by President Martinelli.

Aurelio Barria, leader of the defunct National Civil Crusade, said the Panamenista’s Party's call,  to create a  national front will be supported by many sectors, because he felt the President governs with an  authoritarian style "for the concentration of power."

He said that if Bosco Vallarino’s outing is one of many in which the president has exercised his authoritarianism.

Thursday evening Varela, and Panamenista board members held a meeting with the President of the opposition PRD, Francisco Sanchez Cardenas and Carlos Perez Herrera, Executive Committee member of the PRD, to discuss the creation of the front.

Meanwhile  city employees were expressing concern over possible firings after the announcement that a CD member, a former deputy mayor, would be taking over the mayor's office.