THE US Ambassador to Panama has issued a strongly worded denunciation of an article in a Panama newspaper  containing what the local branch of Transparency International sees as a veiled threat to Attorney General Kenia Porcell.

Ambassador lohn Feeley joined many local voices on Monday, Seo. 11 in condemning an article in Critica  attacking her in her  fight against organized crime and corruption.

According to the ambassador, it is necessary to "discard criticism that is neither constructive nor sustainable." In addition, he said that "we must subtract all legitimacy and credibility from the supposed knower of Colombia or Catatumbo, who seeks to match the situation of this country to that of Colombia." On  Sunday 10 September, the newspaper Critic published an opinion piece, by Julio César Caicedo Mendieta , entitled El Catatumbo by Professor Porcina Kenia , whose contents were considered a "veiled death threat" against the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office byJosé Ugaz , president of Transparency International. "I reject the comments published this weekend about the Attorney General, comments that reveal a vile attitude of pathetic machismo, using  language of contempt to threaten 'this lady l," said the ambassador. He said that his mother and wife, as well as co-workers, held public office, and "all surpassed the nonsense of 'criticism', thus growing - within bureaucracies rooted in machismo - on their own merits and efforts.

"For my part, I consider that Kenia Porcell is a person of personal and professional integrity and courage."

Bravery is not only demonstrated during the din of military conflict  or firefighters running into a menacing fire. But in the fight against organized crime and corruption, from Washington to Panama, "he said.

He maintained that his government will provide support

to the Attorney General's Office both in training

professionals in the accusatory criminal justice system

and sharing judicial information.

"This world needs men and women with tenacity and

equal in their commitment to serve their people to build a better, fairer, more equitable society.

There is no space in the world for sad machistas and their flimsy threats disguised as concern for a supposedly weak sex,"t he ambassador said in a statement.

"I have confidence that 'this girl' can take good care of herself, and I know she has real and respectful friends ready to support her."