The Attorney General of the Nation is one of the most powerful men after the President of the Republic. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why in the last ten years, a term that indicates the Constitution as validity of his appointment, five people before the newly appointed have sat in the chair.

• Monica Castillo
• Eduardo Ulloa
• Javier Caraballo
• Monica Castillo
• Eduardo Ulloa

The Cabinet Council voted unanimously on Tuesday for Eduardo Ulloa as the new Attorney General of the Nation to complete the Kenyan Porcell period, who resigned from office on November 19.

“With this I send a message to international organizations, I know it bothers certain sectors,” said President Laurentino Cortizo when making the announcement.

As alternate attorney, Cortizo appointed prosecutor Javier Caraballo, and as attorney for the alternate administration, Monica Castillo, who was the secretary general of this entity.

The scenario that awaits the new attorney is complicated. It will have to reverse the deteriorated credibility of the institution with results that generate trust in society. So far, the Public Ministry has not achieved convictions in high-profile investigations, some cases are still in the offices of prosecutors or stuck in court.

The new chief of prosecutors will know that the entity requires restructuring and preparation of human resources, overcome the resistance of the economic powers involved in research that jeopardize its reputation and its pocket, as well as make a thorough review of the Accusatory Criminal System to Identify improvements for smooth operation. But, in addition, he will have to meet the broad expectations that have been created around his appointment, as if it were up to him to renew the damaged image of justice.

As lawyer Roberto Troncoso said when asked by this newspaper: “Do not shake your hand even to resign when you feel pressures to do something you do not want.”

For Troncoso, defender of Human Rights, one of the first tasks that Ulloa must lead is to star in the changes in the Constitution to strip deputies and other members of the State body. “That has entangled the administration of justice,” he said.

“It will require an audit of the prosecutors, knowing how many cases are pending and what has been their progress, opening the doors to the media to provide clear and transparent information and accountability at least once a month,” Troncoso added.

The cases in which it is required to follow the money trail have not been precisely the strength of the Public Ministry. Odebrecht, for example, is a case of the questioned performance of Anticorruption prosecutors in complex cases. The revelation of Varelaleaks.com revealed how a cooperation agreement was drawn up tailored to the interests of the construction company and the executives investigated in Panama in which the then president Juan Carlos Varela, his brother and deputy José Luis’ Popi intervened ‘Varela and Attorney Porcell, who resigned a day after this newspaper published the plot.

Ulloa’s curriculum reflects knowledge in bank fraud, use of corporations for illicit purposes, prevention of money laundering, bank crimes, scams, which will be useful in cases of money laundering investigation. He worked in the Public Ministry from 1997 to 2008, as the Third Circuit Prosecutor of Panama, specialized in banking crimes. He was part of the Drafting Commission of the Financial Crimes Law.

Before being appointed to the position, Ulloa worked as an associate lawyer at the law firm specialized in criminal law Tejada Abogados, whose founding partner is Juan Antonio Tejada, who during the government of Martín Torrijos was appointed Ombudsman (2001-2006).

Another of the main tasks that Ulloa faces is to rescue the institutionality. And this means, for the consultant and economist Luisa Turolla, “to give proof that all pending cases are taken seriously and carried out so that the country knows the results.”

It seems – the consultant added – “that there are many restrictions in terms of human resources capacity internally, but we do not really know because we do not have the information about it. They are limitations that condition the result of the work of a new Procurator that requires a great capacity to carry out the institution, it is a mixture of things, will, knowledge ”.

In this sense, if middle managers are not engaged they will hinder the work of the newly appointed. However, “naming trusted people brings a learning curve, delays the outcome of cases and frustrates,” Turolla said.

In the opinion of lawyer Francisco Carreira, high profile cases are important, but not as much as adjusting the Criminal Accusatory System to our requirements. “Criticism of the judicial system must begin to be resolved with a lot of discipline, there are good things, but we can still do much better. Let the connotation be removed that justice only works for the cook’s son, ”said the lawyer.

“That act provides peace of mind and reconstructs the bridges of trust between rulers and governed (…), the appointment of Eduardo Ulloa will have a positive impact on having a Public Ministry that is characterized by the persecution and courageous investigation of crime and certainty of punishment after a checkmate to impunity, “Enrique De Obarrio, a member of the Roundtable said.

Appointments must be ratified by the plenary of the National Assembly.