Electoral Prosecutor Requests TE to Invalidate Bosco Vallarino as Candidate
(panama-guide.com) The Office of the Electoral Prosecutor asked the Electoral Tribunal this afternoon to declare Panameñista partly mayoral candidate Bosco Vallarino as a nonsuitable candidate because he has dual citizenship (Panama and United States.)
The prosecutor's office based their request on Article 13 of the Political Constitution where his rights as a Panamanian citizen are suspended and disqualifies him to run for office on 3 May 2009. According to the prosecutor's office, this investigation should be resolved by the Electoral Tribunal quickly, before the general elections of 3 May.
Article 241 of the Electoral Code establishes that the substitutes will be qualified to hold the position of the primary person, in case the Electoral Tribunal should decide to disqualify the candidacy of Bosco Vallarino for the position of Mayor of Panama City.
Upon learning of this request on the part of the Electoral prosecutor, Vallarino said in a press conference that he is a "victim of political persecution of the PRD".
Vallarino reiterated he had to go to the United States to live in exile during the times of the military dictatorship because his life and those of his family members were in danger, and at the same time he said he is "a Panamanian born in Panamá.
Defense lawyers for Vallarino will try to prevent the request filed today by the Electoral prosecutor from proceeding.
Contributed by: Don Winner
