We are a year away from the next elections, but already things look very promising in the ongoing vulgarization of Panamanian politics.
No, we are not talking about Chello Galvez, the self-proclaimed "sexual buffalo", or Jose Blandon; Monte Friesner's candidate for the alcaldia. Today it's about Bobby Velasquez, who not only uses lipstick but who, in 2009, also ran as David Murcia's candidate for mayor of Panama City.
Murcia now sits in jail, and Velasquez is trying to become the PRD candidate for mayor again.
In an unsourced audio recording that is circulating on the web, Velasquez can be heard in a meeting with unknown PRD goons. He tells them that he wants one of his opponents, José Luis Fábrega, in the hospital, "with broken legs".
"This time they're not gonna catch me with my pants down", Velasquez can be heard saying. He also warns against using the phone because it is tapped.
President Martinelli was the first to alert the nation to the existence of the recording - which makes one wonder where it came from - and he sarcastically offered police protection for all PRD pre-candidates who are fighting among themselves. Velasquez himself called the release of the audio "dirty campaigning", but did not deny the content. (UPDATE: In a statement today, he said he was "joking". However, the audio itself suggests no joking going on. Furthermore, he claims the audio was edited. But it can't be both; you can't maintain that you were joking and then say that it was all edited together from something that wasn't really said. So, as a result, nobody believes him).
Meanwhile, the perredista presidential hopeful Juan Carlos Navarro is ahead in the polls. With the PRD folks up to their old tricks again, the future looks really bright for our nation should they indeed win.
UPDATE 2: Part two of the recorded audio has been released! Anyone up to make us a transcript?
UPDATE 3: And he's out. Velasquez just announced at a press conference that he's leaving the race for the mayor's office. He sank himself faster than even Murcia could five years ago!
And the future in bright with CD? Or basically any other party in Panama. $$$$$ Rules Panama, not the people.
No, the future is screwed whomever wins.
“Hals und beinbruch” menas good luck in german, so why not in Panama?
And still we allow the criminals of the past keep running for office. People like Balbina are still walking the streets making a mockery of all the panamenians who suffered from the military reign.
As a Panamanian powerless woman without dual nationality, I just can say how demoting all this Panamanian politics simply is, and this is the people who run the country. All this is depressing, and I am very much dejected after having heard Bobby talking in such a vulgarized way, lowering even more the standards of behaviors in politics, standards that have historically been extremely low. The debasement of this macho culture portrayed in all the Panamanian politics, has me realize about the chaos in which we, the common people, are left, without so many options to escape the blatant corruption that permeates the country.
Why are the same last names ALWAYS in office be it elected or appointed no matter the party! If in doubt study the history since 1903 adelante.
There’s a saying “Se fue de guate mala a guate peor.” However, it doesn’t matter who’s running the country, the government, the police, the seguro social, the whatever…it’s always guate peor because whoever gets a bit of power feels entitled to abuse it straight away. No doubt, the tradition will continue with JCN and the PRD.