Former US Ambassador Said Martinelli Does Not Respect The Law

(Panama-Guide) - Panama America - The former US Ambassador to Panama, Barbara Stephenson, worried about the authoritarian rule of President Ricardo Martinelli. The "authoritarian" ruling style of President Ricardo Martinelli and his little regard for the "rule of law" were reasons enough for the former U.S. ambassador in Panama, Barbara J. Stephenson, to propose that the US State Department should distance themselves from the Panamanian leader, whom she considered to be a "threat" to the country's democracy. According to documents leaked to WikiLeaks, in messages sent to Washington from the US embassy in Panama between September to December 2009, said Martinelli "doesn't give a damn about public opinion" and its exaggerated presidentialism could be damaging to democratic institutions. According to Stephenson, President Martinelli is obsessed by his "personal interests" and takes advantage of the powers of the presidency to overcome his adversaries. In this regard, the report noted that Martinelli pressured the Panamanian Supreme Court, the National Assembly, the Attorney General's Office, and the news media, which, according to U.S. officials, are "more flatterers than watchdogs of the Executive branch."

The alleged intimidation and pressure of judicial authorities worried the former Ambassador Stephenson, who in her report recommended a schedule of meetings with opposition leaders, to support the calls for strengthening judicial independence, and to work with civil society. During the tenure of the former ambassador and according to the reports leaked to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the manner of government the businessman Martinelli did not convince the United States, who complained about the alleged persecution of Martinelli to American entrepreneurs, the leaders civil society, and opposition politicians, including leaders of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD).

Not only that, but she also accused Martinelli of wanting to involve the embassy in wiretaps by using the structure of the DEA. Ordered appointments. Stephenson explained that the National Assembly Deputy Jose Luis Varela, in his role as the President of the National Assembly, confessed that Martinelli ordered him to appoint Rafael Barcenas, a member of the Board of the Panama Canal. Following the forced appointments, the cables point to the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court who are loyal to Martinelli, who could not be bought by the PRD, who would seek to bring opposition (PRD) leaders to justice for corruption. For the diplomat, Martinelli "seems to be in a permanent election campaign, constantly opening new battle fronts."

No reaction. Panama America last night attempted to communicate, through the Secretary of State Communications of the Ministry of the Presidency, Demetrio Papadimitriu, but he preferred not to comment on the content of diplomatic cables sent by Stephenson to the Secretary of State United States revealed yesterday by the Spanish newspaper El Pais in Spain. However, the government of Panama, as a consequence of other previously leaked and published cables, said the content of these was an internal problem of the government headed by Barack Obama.

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Original Source: Panama-Guide

Date Retrieved: March 15, 2011