Presidency Minister admits parents involvement in scandal plagued land deals

AFTER WEEKS  of stonewalling Panama’s Minister of the Presidency Jimmy  Demetrio Papadimitriu has admitted his parents involvement in the Juan Hombrón land scandal.

When a La Prensa investigation first revealed details of the acquisition of free titles to 54 hectares of land and identified a lawyer now under investigation as working for his parents, Papadimitriu rushed to call a press conference to deny the links.

After  follow up stories he remained silent but this week finally agreed to an interview with La Prensa attended by his parents’  lawyers.

Papadimitriu accepted his family's relationship with the land deals:"I talked to my parents and they confirmed that if they  invested in the purchase of securities and possessory rights of fishermen in the area of ??Juan Hombrón, but also in Bocas del Toro and Santa Catalina."

He admitted that Anabelle Villamonte, former director of the National Qualifications Authority of Land Management (Anati) who is now imprisoned while under investigation for her role in the scandal, was working for his parents   when the  Democratic Change party, of which she is a member, named her to that office. 

But he claimed that   Alejandro Castillero, former director of Anati, who also resigned  as the scandal broke and and who was recently appointed to a diplomatic post in China. "had nothing to do with it.".

Asked by La Prensa if the criticism and scandal over Juan  Hombrón has created a desire to leave the government he said : "Not at all. I'm not going to come under criticism over Juan Hombrón. … In Juan Hombrón I did nothing, I have nothing to do with Juab Hombrón, My parents have had companies here in Panama for 40 years.. I do not get business from them and they do not get into my activities.  I regret that my public position will somehow be affected."