BUSINESS  organizations  civil society groups and members of political parties are united in demanding  that the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) speeds up investigations in the Odebrecht bribery investigations.

The call came after  Spanish newspaper El País published statements by  Rodrigo Tacla Durán,a former financial operator of the Brazilian construction company.

Tacla alleged that Odebrecht paid through HSBC in Hong Kong,  a million Euros to two suppliers of a rum company owned by President Juan Carlos Varela.

Panama’s  Chamber of Commerce labeled  the crisis  "Extremely serious", but called for caution.

"With these and other indications of possible corruption, we reiterate that the MP and others competent bodies must advance and complete the corresponding investigations in a  diligent way," said a Chamber spokesperson.