Panama: President Cortizo Removes Constitutional Reform Package

Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen and his team of ministers will ask the National Assembly to withdraw the package of constitutional reforms Monday, and will announce a major national dialogue to draw up a new Constitution, official sources said.

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This new dialogue will be coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), an organization that has previously coordinated national dialogues for Social Security and the National Commitment to Education in Panama.

The decision taken by the National Government comes after President Cortizo held meetings last week with leaders of the country's main political parties, including the opposition.

After the package of proposals for the constitutional reform left the National Concertation and reached the National Assembly, the text had a tortuous path, with controversial modifications by the deputies. In addition to questioning the reforms, construction workers, public university students, and other social actors rejected the way Congress has discussed the constitutional changes.

Cortizo's reform package included changes in issues related to the administration of justice, health, education, the environment, and decentralization.

In addition, the package would allow Congress to change the national budget and oversee investigations of judges and prosecutors.

These decisions were widely condemned by Panamanians as were the homophobic comments of lawmaker Jairo Salazar who prevented LGTBI activists from entering parliament last month.

Panamanians were outraged by all of this and stormed the headquarters of the ruling Revolutionary Democratic Party, bringing street violence to the already intense demonstrations.