Former foes unite to protest Martinelli power grab

Former political foes united on Wednesday to protest the concentration of power of President Ricardo Martinelli following the model of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. 

At a protest meeting in Parque Porras, organized by the same people who rallied against Panama’s deposed dictator, General Manuel Antonio Noriega, many veterans of the protests of two decades ago dressed in white or wore white scarves, the symbol of their previous challenge which was brutally put down.  In the background was the music of the refrain that became famous during the anti-dictatorship protests “Talk, people, Talk”.
Martinelli was categorized as a civil dictator, following in the footsteps of Chavez.
Civilists mingled with former political enemies, including Balbina Herrera, the PRD losing candidate against Martinelli in last year’s election. and Angelica Maytín, chief executive of Transparency International who insisted that Martinelli has been involved in state bodies.

She said that both judges at the Supreme Court, hand picked  by Martinelli and the new Attorney General, Giuseppe Bonissi, were not deserving of their positions, beyond having contributed to his election campaign.

The husband and son of deposed Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez, were also at the protest. 

Aurelio Barria, founder of the Civil Crusade, which fought against the military dictatorship, said on a TV program the morning after the rally.that during the election campaign Martinelli said that one of the problems of Panamanian democracy was "excessive presidential power of the executive branch."

He added: “I did not invent those words myself and I think at this moment this is a fact and he has not realized that a problem exists. That   is a risk you have when you are in power"