Panama’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Janaina Tewaney, today rejected the violence in Ecuador in reference to the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
In statement to Telemetro channel, the Foreign Minister recalled that recently the Alliance for Democracy, which integrates Panama together with Ecuador, also Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, issued a communiqué condemning the presidential candidate’s assassination.
Together with San Jose, she said, they are now preparing another document to guarantee the efforts made to maintain peace and tranquility in the forthcoming presidential and legislative elections scheduled for August 20.
According to Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, the crime against Villavicencio could be an attempt to sabotage the elections, which he anticipated by applying the cross-death mechanism in May.
Questioned on another issue – the privilege that could be granted by the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) if the children of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-214), accused in a trial for money laundering, were sworn in – the diplomat stated that the regional hemicycle must be reformed.
In that sense, she stated that the organization was created in 1991 to consolidate Central American integration and urged not to undermine that foundational purpose.
She also pointed out that she has been part of conversations about the need to transform the legislature, now highly questioned in Panama due to the immunity granted to its members, which can fuel impunity in cases of alleged corruption.
International organizations have to be relevant to the needs of the population’, he remarked. (PL)
