Freedom of expression in Panama seen in danger

The resignation of Ebrahim Asvat as president of Panama’s oldest newspaper La Estrella(1853) and El Siglo is raising concerns in the community about freedom of expression.

La Prensa, an outspoken critic of elected officials from its founding in the dictatorship era until today says: while in his resignation Asvat claimed personal reasons, on the wall of the social networking site Facebook he said: "I was never the subject of so much pressure in the exercise of freedom of expression as in the government of Ricardo Martinelli. His changeup is a big farce. "

Milton Henriquez, chairman of the opposition Popular Party (PP), warned that what happened to Asvat is "a step in a pattern of concentration of power that must be added to what happens with the Attorney General, the Comptroller General and the Legislature ".

"We're moving toward an authoritarian system and we must draw attention to it now," said Henriquez.

Democratic Revolutionary Party leader Juan Carlos Navarro said on Sunday: "Freedom of expression is threatened by the loss of important television networks, radio and newspaper companies that are now in the hands of those in power. "

Magaly Castillo, executive director of the Citizens Alliance for Justice, said that in Panama there is an atmosphere of respect for freedom of expression, which affects the image of Panamanian democracy worldwide, but there was a clear intention of the Government in controlling the media and political parties. "What is happening is very worrying for democracy," she said.

Minister of Labor, Alma Cortez, said on RPC TV that the government has been tolerant to criticism, but, "Once I read Asvat’s column and it made me never want to read it agvain because it transmitied so much sorrow and negativity."
Cortez admitted that the Government has failed in some subjects, but has met many others, and said that what is not right is to "insult, denigrate and criticize without basis."

In it’s Sunday editorial La Estrella defended its editorial independence and reiterated its mission as a means of communication. {jathumbnail off}