Events
Friday 27th September 2024.
September 26, 2024
Former Deputy Juan Diego Vásquez reacted strongly after the investigation published by La Prensa , which reveals the acquisition of multiple properties by Odila Castillo, former official of the Comptroller General of the Republic.
Castillo, who is also a lawyer and owner of a law firm, reportedly purchased in 2022, in addition to her residence in Santa María, 11 apartments in the PH Spotlight, located on Ricardo J. Alfaro Avenue, with a total value of $2.1 million.
“Did the promoters and sellers of these apartments carry out the necessary procedures to ensure that the former official’s money was legal?” the former deputy asked, suggesting the need for greater scrutiny in real estate transactions to avoid the use of money from illegal activities.
Castillo acquired 11 apartments in the PH Spotlight, each valued at around $200,000, of which 10 have a deed of purchase on the same day: November 27, 2023.
The leader of the Vamos coalition also called for not focusing solely on government corruption, but also for investigating possible complicity in the private sector.
“In Panama, unfortunately, there is a lot of corruption, but it is among officials, former officials and businessmen. Everyone must be held accountable,” added Vásquez.
On August 13, 2018, the country was shocked when Kenia Porcell, then Attorney General of the Nation , revealed details of a conversation held on July 30 with Hernán De León, who was interim president of the Supreme Court of Justice at the time.
During the meeting, De León confessed that the wiretapping case, in which former President Ricardo Martinelli was being prosecuted, “is going to be dropped, it is going to be annulled, it is going to be sent to the Attorney General’s Office.” These statements unleashed a national scandal, fueling fears of possible judicial manipulation in one of the most emblematic corruption cases in Panama.
Furthermore, De León told Porcell that he had been recorded and that, for that reason, the case would be dropped. “I kept telling myself: They recorded me! They recorded me!” De León insisted to the prosecutor.
Since that incident, and after he left his position as a magistrate, little was known publicly about his life. However, he now appears on the payroll of the Municipality of Panama as advisor I to Mayor Mayer Mizrachi, with a salary of $5,000.
According to information published by the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information (Antai) , De León joined the municipality on July 5, just three days after Mizrachi assumed the position of mayor. In addition, he is listed as a permanent employee.
A judge ordered the imprisonment of the former mayor of the province of Colón , Dámaso García , who is serving a five-year prison sentence for the crime of embezzlement.
In a hearing that began at 8:00 am on Thursday, García’s defense had requested that his prison sentence be replaced with community service at the Limón Communal Board, but the motion was not accepted by the judge.
During the hearing, the anti-corruption prosecutor, Johaira González, opposed the request made by García’s defense, arguing that it was a serious crime committed in the performance of public duties when García held the position of mayor of the province of Colón.
Following the decision of the enforcement judge, García’s defense announced an appeal, the hearing of which will take place on October 9 before the Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District.
Previously, the Criminal Chamber rejected García’s appeal against the August 10, 2023 ruling issued by the Superior Court for the Liquidation of Criminal Cases, which confirmed a decision by the First Liquidation Court of Criminal Cases that sentenced García to five years in prison.
Once the Criminal Court’s ruling became final, the sentence was sent to the court of first instance, so that the imposed sentence could be enforced.
García’s conviction came after an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, which determined a financial loss to the State of $59,000 through the irregular hiring of personnel in the Municipality of Colón.
According to the investigation, this injury was caused by the hiring of a group of people who were paid their fees but who did not show up for work. In other words, they were what is commonly called “bottles”.
The irregularities were detected by the prosecutor’s office between 2009-2014, when García served as mayor of the Colón district.
Five members of the Colombian organization Clan del Golfo and two companies based in Mexico were sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury.
U.S. authorities stress that the Gulf Clan “is one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the country and a key contributor to human smuggling through the Darien area (border between Panama and Colombia).”
In a statement from the Treasury Department, it is specified that José Emilson Córdoba Quinto and Wilder de Jesús Alcaraz Morales have been sanctioned , who are held responsible for allegedly having control of irregular migratory flows through the Darién area, as well as for drug trafficking through the territory controlled by the organization.
Also on the list are Demoya Hernández and Celis Durango for allegedly contributing to the international proliferation of drugs. Also on the list is José Gonzalo Sánchez Sánchez , who is allegedly the second in command of the Clan del Golfo.
These people are being sought by the US and Colombian authorities.
“In addition to drug trafficking, the CDG (Clan del Golfo) is involved in the transport of migrants and weapons through the Darien area, a natural barrier of 5,750 square kilometers of tropical forest that separates Central America from South America,” the statement said.
On the other hand, it was reported that two companies based in Mexico were sanctioned for allegedly being related to fentanyl trafficking.
“All property and interests in the possession of the persons described above that are located in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entity that is owned, directly or indirectly, individually or collectively, by 50 percent or more, by one or more of the blocked persons is also blocked,” the Treasury Department recalled.
The National Assembly dismissed former deputy Franz Wever Sr. as a result of a recent process of purging the multimillion-dollar payroll, one of the most controversial issues within this State Body.
According to legislative sources, the measure was taken after a publication by La Prensa and the Human Resources department highlighted the lack of clarity regarding its role and functions within the State body.
During the review, it was found that Wever Sr. was not linked to the duties of any deputy or to a specific position within the administrative structure.
Wever Sr. was listed on the list as Advisor II, with a salary of $3,300 . In the elections of May 5, Wever ran for the position of representative of the district of Curundú, nominated by the party Realizing Goals ; however, he was unsuccessful. He has been on the list since July 18, 2011.
The son, who has the same name, is an administrative assistant II, with a salary of $2,500. He has been on the payroll since May 2, 2017. Although it has been reported that he is currently on vacation.
According to sources, legislature officials searched for his office without success, while others tried to locate his name on a list, but always in vain. Finally, his fate was inevitable: in the absence of answers and the absence of responsibilities, the Assembly decided to put an end to his enigmatic permanence in office.
Recently, the president of the National Assembly, Dana had announced a purge of the payrolls.
Representatives of the National Association of Public Transport Users met yesterday, September 25, with authorities of the Mi Bus company , seeking answers to the demand for buses on the streets of Panama and San Miguelito.
Luis Torres, spokesman for the National Association of Public Transport Users , explained that a delegation of five representatives was received by the manager of Mi Bus, Carlos Sánchez Fábrega, and his team at the Ojo de Agua yard, where they expressed their concern about the need for more metrobus units and improved frequencies at night.
Torres said that one of the requests to the manager of Mi Bus was that the company activate the metrobus route in La Cabima, specifically in Caimitillo, where there are more than 20 communities that “are tired of being at the mercy of the providers.”
“Caimitillo users have their pockets full, because they pay a dollar every day to enter and leave the communities, including students, because within this sector there is no service from the Metro Bus concessionaire,” said Torres.
He stressed that the road to Caimitillo is already ready and in good condition for the units to enter and provide the service for 0.25 cents, which would allow savings in their homes.
Meanwhile, Sánchez Fábrega told the representatives of the transport users that the opening and authorization of this Caimitillo route is in the hands of the management of the Land Transit and Transport Authority (ATTT) and that, for the moment, they will be managing it.
Another request from users was to improve the frequency in the paid zone of Los Andes, especially at night, since after 10:00 pm, the units are scarce. Meanwhile, users in the Mano de Piedra and Torrijos Carter sectors requested improvements in the routes in these sectors, since many units of a single route pass by and they asked that the routes of San Isidro and Los Andes (direct) be staggered.
For his part, Sánchez Fábrega explained to the association that when he began his administration, he received a total of 587 operational units, where his main priority has been to get the buses out on the streets, which has been evidenced by the 150 additional units that he has put into circulation, giving a total of 735 metrobuses that are in operation.
He also said the goal is to reach 1,050 operational buses by the end of this year, which will bring improvements in frequencies and service.
Sánchez Fábrega said that “his policy is one of open doors,” reaffirming his willingness to listen to and address the needs of the community.