News
Thursday 9th September 2021.
September 9, 2021
The epidemiological report of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) , of this Wednesday, September 8, reveals that in the last 24 hours there were 330 new positive cases of Covid-19 and 4 deaths. After these new figures, the total number of infections increased to 460,829 and the number of deaths to 7,104. A death that occurred earlier was also updated. The new cases were known when 7,233 tests were carried out, which yielded a positivity of 4.5%. According to the epidemiological report, 448,045 recovered patients and 5,680 active cases were counted. In home isolation, 5,335 people are reported, of which 5,123 are at home and 212 in hospital hotels. There are 345 hospitalized patients and 259 of them are in the ward and 86 are in the intensive care unit.
The Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre , communicated this Wednesday, September 8 to representatives of business associations that his entity is evaluating the development of trade “to continue with the process of gradual reopening of the country.” Sucre met this Wednesday with the Vice Minister of Internal Trade and Industry, Omar Montilla; the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Panama, Jose Ramón Icaza, and the executive director of the Association of Restaurants, Bars and Clubs, Mario Luis González.
The President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo , intervened in the struggle between the magistrates of the Tribunal Electoral (TE) and the National Assembly for the reforms to the Electoral Code , which are discussed in the Government Commission. “With deep respect for the democratic institutionality, and in the interest of the best interest of the country, I have met today with the presidents of the National Assembly and Tribunal Electoral, who agreed to meet next Tuesday, September 14, in relation to the 1st debate on part of the Legislative Organ of the electoral reforms, bearing in mind that every five years the country must modernize and strengthen its norms in this matter, with responsibility and respect to contribute to the consolidation of our democracy ”, said the president through his Twitter account .
The Credentials Commission of the National Assembly this Wednesday, September 8, did not achieve a consensus on the proposal that seeks to discount the salary of deputies who do not go to work. Juan Diego Vásquez , an independent deputy, said during the discussion in the first debate of bill 96 – which reforms the Organic Regulation of the Internal Regime of the legislature – that his proposal aims to give a discount to his colleagues who do not attend the discussions in the assembly. “Remember that we are employees of the people,” he said, recalling that to date he has no absences. “Here many of my colleagues come to work, but others do not. And we all pay just for sinners, “he said.
Bills 642 and 654, which modify Law 47 of 2002 , which declares the Old Quarter of Colón a historical monumental complex , were approved in the first debate this Wednesday, just two weeks after they were sent to a subcommittee that would presumably do a comprehensive technical analysis of both legislative initiatives. Project 642 was presented by Panamanian deputy Pedro Torres and 654 by PRD Jairo Salazar .
The Ministry of Foreign Relations processed – “through diplomatic channels” – the extradition request to Panama of Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares , since last August 10. This is stated in a letter that Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes presented on September 3 to Crispiano Adames , president of the National Assembly, in response to a note she received a month earlier, asking about the situation of the Martinelli Linares brothers, who are detained in Guatemala since July 6, 2020, before a request for capture and extradition from the United States. Mouynes informed Adames that since the capture, on July 6, 2020, the Panamanian embassy in Guatemala has ensured respect for the rights and guarantees of these two Panamanians. Likewise, the Foreign Ministry has held meetings with Guatemalan family members, lawyers and authorities, “with the purpose of verifying respect for their human rights.”
The National Council of Journalism (CNP) and the Forum of Journalists for Freedom of Expression and Information regret that the Public Ministry, represented by the prosecutor Lorena Quiroz, has processed and requested the filing of charges against the communicator Mauricio Valenzuela in the face of a claim of the deputy Zulay Rodríguez who “evidently seeks to prevent the free exercise of journalism.”
The National Energy Secretariat released this Wednesday, September 8, gasoline prices of 95 and 91 octane, which register an increase between 8 and 9 cents per gallon and will take effect from this Friday, September 10 at 6: 00 am The price per gallon of 95 octane gasoline is currently at $ 3 41 cents and as of Friday it will rise to $ 3 49. 91 octane gasoline is priced per gallon of $ 3 30 cents and will increase to $ 3 39 cents. Meanwhile, low-sulfur diesel is at $ 2 82 cents and will increase to $ 2 91 cents.