Checks and balances harmed by recent local elections — analyst

Strong concerns about the election of business and professional leaders aligned with the government in power have been raised by  one of Panama’s leading political analysts.

Ebrahim Asvat,  warned Sunday, July 10, that this alignment has taken place in two organizations and a professional body.

Antonio Fletcher was re-elected s leader of The National Council of Private Enterprise andFélix Cuevas  was elected president of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives on Saturday July 9.

In the early hours of the same day Cesar Ruiloba won the presidency of the National Bar Association. His vice president is JulieMartinelli, niece of President Ricardo Martinelli.
According to Asvat, says La Prensa the choices seek to promote a candidate and not the interests of their associations.

"With moves like this, we cannot create the  checks and balances needed to be a trulydemocratic state," he said.