The electoral contest of May 5, 2024 has become a race with the elimination of candidates for different popularly elected positions through judicial processes, which could disqualify them and leave them out of the game.

The most famous case is that of the former president and still presidential candidate for the Alliance and Realizing Goals parties, Ricardo Martinelli, who is only waiting for the Criminal Cases Settlement Court to send the Electoral Court the formal documentation that contains the enforceable sentence. of 128 months in prison and a fine of $19.2 million for money laundering for the “New Business” case.

The current deputy of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Zulay Rodríguez, who aspires to three popularly elected positions (president of the Republic, deputy and mayor) is also on the list of possible candidates who could be disqualified and left out of the contest .

Rodríguez must face a hearing to charge charges next Thursday, February 29, for the alleged commission of a crime against economic assets, in the form of money laundering, illicit association to commit a crime and against the administration of justice to the detriment of José Luis Penagos Hernandez. (RIP).

For Zulay Rodríguez, the Supreme Court of Justice will once again try to step on the accelerator “just as they did a few days ago with another presidential candidate who was quickly sanctioned by this same judge Ariadne García, who now seeks to prevent my participation in the elections.”

“These events mark a crucial moment in the history of our democracy and put confidence in the electoral process at risk,” he said.

For the lawyer Miguel Antonio Bernal, this scenario is the chronicle of an announced disqualification “once accused they want to accuse her so that she does not present evidence and, thus, sentence her and disqualify her… the other week they go to a hearing in the Plenary to request precautionary measures and put a house in prison so that he cannot go out for a walk to ask for his votes.”

Another of the candidates who may be disqualified is the current undersecretary of the National Assembly, Dana Castañeda, who is again seeking a seat for the 2-3 circuit for the Democratic Revolutionary Party, the Nationalist Liberal Republican Movement, Alliance and Realizing Goals.

The Second Administrative Court of the Electoral Court set for next Tuesday, March 19, accused of not having resigned within five days following the publication, based on article 33 of the Electoral Code, which establishes that they are not eligible for popularly elected positions. public servants who have held, at any time, since six months before the election, positions including secretary general and deputy secretary general of autonomous and semi-autonomous entities and public companies.

Political Campaign Advisor Julio Villalobos describes the fact that these judicial processes are in the middle of the electoral period and just a few days before the general elections as a great risk for the democracy of this country.

“Using the judicial arm for political purposes in the middle of the electoral tournament cannot be the work of someone who does not hold the power or control of the three organs of the State. Panama went through much of the 20th century with examples like these and the balance was negative for the nation. “These situations that threaten democracy should not be repeated again, even more so, if there was plenty of time to judge these cases and for convenience they were delayed in time as a factor in political negotiation,” he said.