As the new President of the Legislative Assembly, Colón MP Jaime Vargas, said in his inaugural speech last Saturday, the norm must be discussed in detail but adapted to national reality so that it is not used as a weapon of political persecution.
Regarding this initiative, Jonathan Riggs, secretary-general of the Department of Security, its main driving force, warned of the implications of delaying discussion of a project before Parliament in 2021.
The proposal, seen as a tool to tackle crimes such as drug trafficking and corruption, has met various obstacles for two years and is still on a technical table today.
According to Rigss, some of the procedural issues that have stalled the debate include annulments in the event of defense objections to the manner in which the asset forfeiture proceedings begin and the evidence that must be submitted by the public prosecutor.
They also question the investigative times and special jurisdiction that are being exceeded, whether at the judiciary or at the state department.
“The National Assembly will be responsible for deciding whether to create an entirely new jurisdiction like the Court of Accounts, or whether the judiciary and prosecutors are allowed to include the figure of the extermination judge within their jurisdiction.” organic structure. and the prosecutor for the extinction of the domain,” he specified.
Regarding the norm, Security Minister Juan Manuel Pino told the press that in the event of sanctions, 80 percent of the amounts confiscated would be used for social purposes, which is why the existence of a legal instrument to combat drug trafficking, terrorism and terrorism is important. Corruption and other crimes related to organized crime.
On the other hand, Vargas announced that they must also immediately discuss the assembly’s 2024 budget and a controversial contract signed between the state and Minera Panama, a subsidiary of Canadian transnational corporation First Quantum.
“This budget must ensure continuity and financial sustainability throughout the year and ensure that the new government that will be installed on July 1, 2024 can have a healthy economy and finances,” he said.
He also claimed he would seek MPs to pass the necessary legislation to allow them to get out of any gray or black lists “that they are trying to force on us,” playing on International Financial Action’s discriminatory list Group, in which Panama has existed since 2019.
In this regard, the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, informed the plenary session that a technical commission of the FATF would visit the Isthmus next September to assess compliance with about 15 measures of the action plan that the organization had proposed to the Channel State. jcm/ga