Panamas coalition infighting continues

The infighting in Panama’s ruling coalition continues, with the Martinelli Party, Democratic Change, (CD)accusing their partners of failing to keep their word.

Earlier in the year, the show was on the other foot with the Panamanista Party claiming that the CD had reneged on a  promise to give them the next presidency of the National Assembly.

The CD announced   Wednesday that it considered the Panamanista leader and the country’s Vice President, Juan Carlos Varela had failed to support a move to allow a second round of voting in Presidential elections.

The group headed by President Ricardo Martinelli, said in a press release that "all political parties" endorsed a document called the National Vision 2020, which states on page 69 that " to be president the Republic must have you must have  more than 50% of the valid votes cast in the electoral process. If this percentage is  not obtained, there will be a second round involving the top two candidates. "

The Panamanista  party said it agreed with the second round of elections, but differed with Democratic Change in the way of approval," said  the release.

The statement concludes with: "Juan Carlos Varela has no word today, So what can we expect tomorrow?".