News
Wednesday 12th June 2024.
June 11, 2024
The former Minister of the Presidency , Demetrio ‘ Jimmy’ Papadimitriu, confirmed to this medium his intentions to run as a candidate for the presidency of the Democratic Change (CD) party , a group that would renew its board of directors this year.
“I will seek the presidency of Cambio Democrático. I think the party needs to renew itself and create its own identity,” said the former official.
Papadimitriu said that he has the experience and ability in politics , so now he wants to involve youth in this project. “The party needs a renewal in terms of communication and looking forward with new blood,” he pointed out.
According to the former Minister of the Presidency in the government of Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), social networks at this time are an important instrument that no party is using well, and young people are great allies on these issues.
“I maintain a cordial relationship with everyone. My goal is to restructure the party, work in the party, modernize it and create its own identity. “I do not respond to any figure,” she contributed.
Regarding the elected president, José Raúl Mulino , he indicated that the Democratic Change party must support any initiative of the President of the Republic that benefits the country.
“The project that is good for the people and that the president is promoting, I think the party should support that initiative,” he added.
After the results of the general elections on May 5, 2024, the CD party – whose presidential candidate, Rómulo Roux, came in fourth position – reported that it will begin an internal renewal process.
In the statement published on May 9, the group’s board of directors, chaired by Roux, ordered the National Election Commission to proceed with preparations, the next stage of which will be the election of a new board of directors. No date has been determined to begin this process.
It must be remembered that in 2018, with the support of a group of deputies, Roux won the presidency of CD from Martinelli – founder of the party and at that time detained in the United States, awaiting extradition to Panama – and then achieved the presidential candidacy of that group in 2019, a contest in which the current ruler Laurentino Cortizo triumphed. Roux came second.
In addition to Papadimitriu, former minister Roberto Henríquez announced on May 29 that he aspires to preside over the CD board.
“I have the support of the founder of the party for this project. I want to talk to all the conventional ones, regardless of the faction to which they belong, to explain my program to them,” Henríquez said recently on his X account.
The challenge presented by the former Realizing Goals candidate, Alejandro Pérez , against the election of the deputies of the 8-4 circuit was not admitted by an electoral court, it was reported this Tuesday, June 11.
“I am leaving the Electoral Court and I am pleased to inform you that the challenge of the 8-4 circuit has been rejected, therefore it is not admitted through resolution 48-2024 of yesterday, June 10, 2024,” the deputy wrote on social networks. elected by the Vamos coalition, Jorge Bloise Iglesias. Meanwhile, Ernesto Cedeño , deputy elected by the Other Path Movement (Moca) in this circuit, also highlighted that he received information that the challenge was not admitted.
Following the results of the elections on May 5, Ernesto Cedeño and Grace Hernández , from Moca , were elected in the 8-4 circuit (Don Bosco, Juan Díaz, Parque Lefevre, Río Abajo and San Francisco) ; Roberto Zúñiga and Jorge Bloise , from the independent Vamos coalition; and Javier Sucre , from the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD).
Pérez requested the annulment of the election and the proclamation of the deputies due to alleged irregularities in the electoral count in this circuit.
Pérez and his legal team still have the option of appealing this decision before the full Electoral Court. In fact, on his social networks he stated that he would do so in the coming days.
Kenneth Darlington was sentenced to 48 years in prison for the crimes of aggravated intentional homicide of two people and illicit possession of a firearm, in an event that occurred on November 7, 2023, in Chame.
Through a sentencing agreement validated this Tuesday, June 11, by the guarantee judge of Panama Oeste, Luis Ceballos, a sentence of 48 years in prison was applied to Kenneth Darlington for a double homicide perpetrated against two people in Chame when they were protesting. for the mining contract.
Darlington, 78 years old, currently detained in section E of La Nueva Joya, was also banned from carrying firearms for the same period of time, once the main sentence had been served.
At the hearing held today, the Public Ministry was represented by prosecutor Paula Garcés.
On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, Darlington got out of his car and shot Iván Rodrigo Mendoza and Abdiel Díaz , who were participating in a closure of the Inter-American highway, in protest of the mining contract.
Eliécer Plicett, private prosecutor, assured that the victims’ relatives feel satisfied with the sentence applied, since the Penal Code in homicide cases establishes a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison and that the 48 years applied are close to this parameter.
Plicett assured that the relatives of Abdiel Díaz, whom he represents, have not shown interest in filing a claim for compensation for the emotional damages suffered.
At the time of his arrest and throughout the process, Darlington never showed remorse for having attacked his victims, when they were protesting peacefully and were defenseless.
After shooting both protesters, Darlington got back into his vehicle and remained in it until National Police officials arrested him.
Darlington’s defense has stated that during his detention his client has not received the medical attention due to his advanced age and some ailments he suffers from.
However, these complaints were dismissed, since the detainee has been treated by doctors from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.
The young Erika Yanelis Palmer Díaz, reported missing last May, was located in Honduras, after the dissemination of an Amber alert by the National Police.
According to police sources, Honduran authorities are keeping the young woman in a child protection center and have also arrested a man who was with the minor.
The 13-year-old girl was reported missing by her father on May 28 in the district of Arraiján.
According to the investigations carried out, the young woman would have left the country in a cargo vehicle towards Central America, although it was not specified whether she did so voluntarily, under some type of deception or by force.
After the dissemination of the Amber alert by the National Police, coordination was established with Central American authorities and he was finally located in a nightclub in Honduras.
It was reported that the Foreign Ministry is taking the necessary steps for his repatriation.
No details were given as to whether the young woman was subjected to any type of attack during her trip to Honduras.
Officials from the National Police and the Public Ministry had carried out investigations in various parts of the country to try to locate her.
The Panama Canal announced to shipping companies the increase in the number of daily transits. Starting July 11, the number of daily transits will increase from 32 to 33, and on July 22 it will increase to 34.
With this decision, the Canal is closer to its daily averages, which are between 36 and 38 transits, which were strongly adjusted since last year due to the drought and high temperatures that contributed to greater water evaporation.
The increase in transits is based on the current and projected level of Gatun Lake for the coming weeks, as well as the arrival of the rainy season in the Panama Canal Hydrographic Basin (CHCP).
Additionally, an increase in draft was announced as of June 15 from 45 to 46 feet, in the Neopanamax locks.
The change marks the beginning of the rainy season, which will allow some ships that exceed the average draft to cross the locks with greater load.
The average draft of the ships that use the Canal does not exceed 44 feet.
The United States announced this Tuesday rewards of eight million dollars for information that leads to the arrest of those involved in the trafficking of migrants from the Clan del Golfo in the Darién jungle, “one of the most dangerous crossings on the planet” on the border between Colombia and Panama.
The measure is part of the objectives established by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which was established in June 2021 by United States Attorney General Merrick Garland, to improve law enforcement against smuggling groups and most prolific and dangerous human trafficking operations operating in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
To date, the JTFA has made more than 300 national and international arrests, with more than 240 convictions, seizures of millions of dollars in cash, real estate and vehicles, Ian Hannah, one of the directors of this organization, said in a telematic conference. .
Hannah noted that more than 170 defendants and convicts in the United States “received significant sentences outside of those typically seen in human trafficking cases,” and “multiple successful indictments and extraditions” were achieved against human traffickers located in Guatemala, Mexico. and Honduras.