The National Assembly elected by an absolute majority the professionals Anel Flores and Eli Felipe Cabezas to the positions of Comptroller and Deputy Comptroller of the Republic of Panama, respectively. Both officials, who were sworn in by the President of the Legislature, Dana Castañeda, will be responsible for governing the highest fiscal control body of the State.
In a session that began at three in the afternoon and after concluding the process of formalizing the candidates, businessman Anel Humberto Flores De La Lastra and Eli Felipe Cabezas Justavino obtained 47 votes to hold office for the five-year period 2025-2030.
After being sworn in, the new Comptroller, who will take office next January, replacing the current director Gerardo Solís, when speaking at the legislative podium listed his commitments to the citizens and to this entity, which elected him, in order to strengthen the institutionality, which he said has been lost, restoring the trust and faith in his functions.
COMPENDIUM OF THE MESSAGE FROM THE NEW COMPTROLLER
Along these lines, he pledged to carry out his responsibility with the utmost integrity and dedication. He mentioned that corruption is not just a government issue, “we have to change and transform Panamanian society, we are going to rescue the values, the principles of honesty and dignity.”
He said that the State manages everyone’s money and that every incorrect expense means a loss of benefit for society. He stressed that the time has come to restore the trust of the Panamanian people.
Flores said there are challenges such as the Social Security Fund and its survival and that the lives of 350,000 retirees depend on what we all do.
He said that he will report to the competent authorities any person involved in an audit carried out by the Comptroller’s Office; to do so, he assured, the citizen complaint system that currently exists in the Comptroller’s Office will be strengthened, giving protection to those who report corruption. “Whoever gets involved will have to figure out how to justify it.”
He referred to Law 351, of December 22, 2022, which is being challenged by the Citizen Development Foundation for being unconstitutional. He took advantage of the moment to say that there is a clause that grants him too much discretion and stated that being both judge and party is not to his liking.
He asked all the parties in the National Assembly to work together and create a law to repeal these different articles that confuse us all.
He also spoke about the government’s guarantees that have cost it more than 200 million dollars in infrastructure for making advance payments, when, he said, those resources should be provided in their entirety by the concessionaire companies.
The new comptroller mentioned the issue of financial aid, indicating that he will take the time to review each of the files. He pointed out that many received the money and there is no registration; that is embezzlement and it will be investigated to the last consequence. He suggested that wealthy families come forward to make a payment arrangement and return the money they did not need.
Another issue he described as thorny was that of parallel decentralization. He gave a period of sixty days for an accounting of the 321 million dollars allocated, which he pointed out that once his administration begins, he will go after those funds. He advised the signers of the checks and the beneficiaries to denounce and tell the truth about what was happening.
The deputies concluded that those elected have a key position in overseeing the execution of the nation’s budget. They noted that the country urgently requires a present, diligent comptroller’s office that is committed to doing its job.
HOW THE ELECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED
For this selection, the president of the Credentials Committee, Shirley Castañedas, reported that 20 candidates presented all the documentation for the position of comptroller, as established by the legal system, and 29 for the position of deputy comptroller.
Deputy Ernesto Cedeño was in charge of nominating and supporting the candidacy of Carlos Barsallo, while Anel Humberto Flores De La Lastra was nominated by Deputy Jamis Acosta. Both deputies had 20 minutes to support their candidacy.
As for the position of deputy comptroller, there were three candidates: Eli Felipe Cabezas Justavino, supported by deputy Jamis Acosta. For his part, deputy Ernesto Cedeño of the “Another Way Movement” nominated Leonel Alberto De La Cruz Pérez; while Maximino Gutiérrez Cubilla was nominated by deputy Jorge Bloise and the “Independent Party Vamos”.
When voting took place, candidate Eli Felipe Cabezas Justavino obtained 47 votes; Leonel Alberto De La Cruz Pérez 3 votes and Maximino Gutiérrez Bonilla with 21 votes.
