A deputy’s message to the president: Dissent is not disrespect

“Dissent is not disrepect” says Panamenista  Deputy Jose Isabel Blandon who has being speaking out about the rupture inside the ruling coalition.

Comments from Blandon and others inside the Panemenista party about broken promises by the Democratic Change party (CD) have led to strong warnings from President Ricardo Martinelli  that he will not tolerate disrespect.

 Blandon’s reponse came via Twitter  on Sunday July 3, the same day La Prensa  published a poll indicating that the majority of Panamanians viewed the president as autocratic, and the government as intolerant of criticism.

Blandon  has spoken out  about internal disagreements their disagreement  deputies of  the co-governing  CD did not support the candidacy of the Panamanita  Alcibiades Vasquez for the presidency of the National Assembly in spite of an earlier agreement to do so.
 Panamenista’s did not participate in the inauguration of Hector Aparicio, the new president  of the National Assembly.
The same day, the president and CD leader   Martinelli,deplored the action taken by the coalition partners . And yesterday, Saturday, and   threatened  to break the governing alliance  if the “insults” continue. "If this fight continues, we will have to break sticks" he said.
 But on Saturday, July 2,  Blandon replied: "Tolerance is the key to quality living in a democracy. Governiing  not to impose, but to build consensus."