The lawyer Publio Cortés expressed his concern about the fight against corruption, which is commented on several occasions in countless speeches by the Panamanian authorities, stating that care must be taken that this does not become a simple “slogan” without content.
“I am always concerned or suspicious of simple speeches where everything is black or white, and where there are good guys or bad guys. Those speeches are at the roots of all authoritarianisms ”, he expressed.
The also former director of the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), assured that some think that corruption is anything or everything that he dislikes is corruption.
He referred to a “kidnapping hypothesis”, that is, for example, “that 3% or 5% of Panamanians are corrupt, political, ugly, who have kidnapped 95% who are all honest and good people, and that if this theory is true, it would only be enough to have the kidnappers, disappear them and the whole country as it is honest and transparent, we would not have more corruption problems ”.
“The problem of corruption is a structural issue, which is not solved only by pointing out the other, we all have a part in the matter in some way, I do not seek to discourage the fight against corruption, but we must make it more realistic, step on the ground “Cortés stressed.
He stressed that asking for honesty in public is not enough. “I think it is correct to ask for it, that it be achieved 100% if it sounds impossible to me. The bad thing is to pretend that, if a high level were achieved, perfect! But a high level of honesty, that is not enough to solve the problems of the people because an honest government does not mean that it is an effective government ”, concluded the lawyer.
