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newsAlso in this section: Panama News Briefs
Torrijos to repeal some of the gag laws After having promised the Inter-American Press Association that he would repeal some of Panama’s restrictive anti-press laws, President Torrijos and his cabinet have elaborated a legislative proposal that would repeal two of his father’s 1978 measures: one regulating the profession of journalism, which is now a dead letter, and one punishing the publication of items disrespectful of those in authority. The administration’s proposal provides for a right of reply to those who say they have been wronged by something that was published, and takes away the powers of municipal officials and judges to impose summary sanctions for the publication of disrespectful material. These latter powers have existed in Panamanian law since well before the dictatorship.
Torrijos down in polls, still popular The most recent Dichter & Neira poll commissioned for La Prensa shows President Torrijos with a 57.9 percent approval rating. That’s down some 20 points since the start of the year and slightly lower than Mireya Moscoso’s standing at this point in her administration. Look for further erosion when the president announces specific Seguro Social changes, but Torrijos still looks pretty good for a president whose administration just raised taxes.
Delgado investigation halted The illicit enrichment and tax evasion investigation of former Minister of Economy and Finance Norberto Delgado has been halted by Supreme Court magistrate Alberto Cigarruista. The latter suspended the investigation, which began with the Comptroller General’s office, pending a decision on the former minister’s constitutional challenge to the proceeding. It seems that, after having been minister Delgado turned out to be in possession of vast tracts of the Darien. But Delgado pleaded that he already held these properties before going to work for the government, which led the Comptroller General to claim that in that case there were taxes that were neither declared or paid but should have been.
Americans pull Bertilda Garcia’s visa Former National Maritime Authority director Bertilda Garcia is the latest official from the former administration to have her US visa revoked. The improper sale of all sorts of permits and certifications, odd procedures with respect to launch contracts and some controversial sea floor concessions are the sorts of things for which the authority was known on Garcia’s shift, and then there’s the matter of the $30 grand she payed herself for the expense of living in London --- even though she didn’t live in London. In these visa decisions it seems that the US government is more interested in punishing corruption in which American companies get shaken down rather than generally excluding former officials with sleazy reputations.
Mireya quits as party boss Having confirmed her presidency of the Arnulfista Party --- now named Panamenista Party --- at a party convention in January, former President Mireya Moscoso has now resigned that post. She leaves the helm of a party that has taken a serious defeat at the polls, but retains a traditional organization and base of popular support. In the short term former legislator Marco Ameglio will become the party’s leader. Mireya remains a member of the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN).
Sol Linowitz dead at 91 On March 18 Sol Linowitz, a retired lawyer, business executive and diplomat, died of pneumonia. He was 91 years old. Linowitz is best known in Panama as the lead US negotiators in the process that led to the 1977 Panama Canal Treaties.
Chorrillo fire routs hundreds About 100 families lost their possessions on March 18 when a fire swept through three wooden tenement buildings in El Chorrillo. Patio Pinel’s buildings Don Bosco A, B and C were a total loss in a fire believed to have been set as part of a local gang war. No lives were lost in the late morning blaze, which left a pillar of black smoke visible for many miles across the city.
Montenegro the new anti-corruption czarina
President Torrijos has
named former Administrative Prosecutor Alma Montenegro de
Fletcher as his new anti-corruption secretary. Because of
Montenegro’s roots in the PRD and a not especially inspiring
record on freedom of information issues in her former post,
the appointment has met with some criticism. It seems that
the post is mostly a public advocacy job, which was the
reason given when the first anti-corruption secretary,
former prosecutor Cristobal Arboleda, moved on to other
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