WITH REGARD to high-profile cases, there are multiple obstacles for Panamanians to have an effective justice.

One of these barriers is electoral immunity, which not only prevents further criminal investigation against who benefit from this privilege, but also paralyzes completely the whole process, even for those that lack immunity and are involved in the same case. At least 12 processes are  currently blocked by those who take shelter under this blanket, which dilutes the scope of the Public Ministry. The Electoral Tribunal can help give social peace to the country, if its judges give priority to requests for lifting the immunity; while they thoroughly review the use of this figure as a judicial shield.

The abuse of the privilege is the most indecorous way to pervert the electoral guarantees, making it a delaying tactic used by those that outrage democratic institutions, and continue to do so, creating a fictitious electoral process. The Electoral Tribunal is not going to do any favor to democracy if it falls into this deception.  Hoy Por Hoy, La Prensa September 23