The Panameñista party issued a statement on various issues, including the complaint of an alleged “dirty campaign” against the group.
In a statement signed by the National Directorate of the aforementioned party, it rejected the “malicious attacks” that, according to them, would seek to tarnish the image of the group, referring to media publications about people investigated in drug trafficking cases who are part of or are from the environment of the Panamanianism.
“We cannot agree with disrespecting the presumption of innocence or with media lynchings or dirty campaigns, less when it is evident that it responds to clearly defined political agendas at the gates of a process of internal elections in Panameñismo,” the letter indicates.
During these days, internal differences within Panamanianism have come to light, even with accusations and clashes between sectors that respond to the former president, Juan Carlos Varela and others to the current president of the group, José Isabel Blandón.
After the denunciations in social networks about narcopolitics within the party, the Directorate made a call to promote a fight against organized crime and its penetration into the country’s political forces.
“Our party recognizes the interference of drug trafficking in politics as a serious problem, which is why we promote and support any legal reform and measure that helps combat these criminal activities,” they pointed out, in addition to expressing their support for a proposal such as the draft Domain Extinction Law and the elimination of private donations.
They also mentioned the admission of guilt in the United States by Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, in which he accepted to have participated in money laundering linked to bribes from Odebrecht. The group asked the Government and the Judicial Branch “to take the necessary measures” to “recover the money of all Panamanians.”
We demonstrate in the face of recent criminal acts that have garnered attention.
Like Luis Enrique’s admission of guilt: we hope that the National Government will take the necessary measures to recover the money from the Panamanians … pic.twitter.com/3Po6wwsuoQ
– Panameñistas (@panamenistas) December 6, 2021
