“Unconcerned” mayor files six appeals against recall process

Panama mayor, José Luis Fábrega, through his lawyers, has filed at least six appeals before the Electoral Tribunal (TE) and the Supreme Court in order to stop the recall process against him despite the fact that he has stated that he is not concerned about the collecting of signatures to remove him, which began on April 20.

The legal strategy adopted by the mayor a member of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), includes the claim of unconstitutionality before the Supreme Court of Justice, to appeals against resolutions issued by the Directorate of Electoral Organization of the TE.

On April 8, the lawyer Juan Carlos Pérez, representing Fábrega, knocked on the doors of the TE to present a request so that people linked to the mayor could be present in the process of collecting signatures.

Days after going to the TE, on behalf of Fábrega, lawyer Carlos Carrillo filed an unconstitutionality lawsuit before the Supreme Court of Justice (April 12) against the recall process, alleging that the Electoral Code does not provide for the recall of the mandate for mayors. The lawsuit is in the hands of Judge José Ayú Prado.

On March 11, Fábrega’s defense returned to the TE to present an appeal against the admission of the revocation process, which was processed by the lawyer Roberto Ruiz Díaz.

The next day he filed another appeal, again before the TE to dismiss the case, alleging that the lawyer Raúl Rodríguez had filed a similar petition in 2020.

On April 20, he filed a request, again before the TE, with the aim of being given copies of all the proceedings. In that same resource, he also warned about the alleged nullity of everything advanced. In May he continued with the same strategy because on the 3rd of this month he filed an appeal after the last request was denied.