Massive protest against Panama’s Parliament for electoral reform

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Thousands of people demonstrated this Tuesday (14) peacefully in front of the National Assembly of Panama to reject the changes applied by the deputies to a project of reform to the electoral law agreed upon for months by a national commission.

Some 5,000 people, according to estimates by the Ombudsman’s Office, many dressed in white T-shirts and the singular Panamanian pintao hat, protested to show their rejection of how the National Assembly (NA, Parliament) is carrying out the discussion of the electoral reforms, proposed with a view to the general elections of May 2024.

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Singing the iconic song “Patria” by Rubén Blades, which has become an anthem for the Central American country, the demonstration, called by the most influential civil society sectors, took place peacefully and was replicated in the main provincial capitals of Panama.

Among the demonstrators were important personalities, social and union leaders, and the presence of the historical Civilist Crusade, the main movement that demanded the fall of General Manuel Antonio Noriega (1934-2017).

Specifically, they were protesting how Bill 544 reforming the Electoral Code – drafted at the behest of the Electoral Tribunal (TE) by the National Commission of Electoral Reforms (CNRE), where all political parties and society were represented – is advancing.

The deputies have eliminated and modified the articles referring to substantial issues related to the organization of the elections, such as campaign financing, equal participation of women, among others.

Given the situation, TE abandoned the discussion due to the “setback” in the matter implied by these parliamentary decisions, in which the governing body of the elections was not heard. At the same time, civil sectors, women’s associations, NGOs, and economic associations repudiated the deputies’ actions.

Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) president, José Ramón Icaza, told Efe: “We, as a Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP), are looking for equity in the nominations for both political parties and independent candidates, transparency in the processes and accountability.”

Opposition politician and former independent presidential candidate Ricardo Lombana called the situation “regrettable” since these modifications are being made by “the deputies to shield themselves (…) and stay in power, eliminate competition and block all the transformations that had been made in the electoral reform commission.”

“Frauds are no longer made on election day if not by changing the electoral rules”, declared Lombana.

Tuesday’s demonstration has been one of the most crowded in recent years. Health Minister Luis Francisco Sucre reminded that “multitudinous activities involving crowds in public places of any kind are not allowed,” local media reported.

“WE ARE HALF, AND WE DESERVE PARITY”.

A gigantic banner with purple letters, a symbol of the feminist movement, was displayed above the Panamanian flags: “Without women, there is no democracy”.

Women’s associations raised their voices shouting, “we are half, and we deserve parity”, denouncing the elimination of articles that would allow progress towards parity within political parties and encourage the presence of women in political life.

“With the stroke of a pen, they eliminated parity. Women have the right to be elected and to elect, and they are taking that away from us,” said Walkiria Chandler, substitute deputy, and defender of women’s rights.

According to women’s associations, within these modifications to the electoral reforms, an article was eliminated which “made reference to the fact that in any political party to be constituted, the organizational basis of its constituent structure should have 50% women and 50% men” and they accused the Parliament of “political violence”.