politics

Security protest planned

Angélica Maytín, the executive director of Transparencia Internacional (TI), is recommending that President Martín Torrijos refrain from enacting his proposed changes to the country's security agencies, and instead let the decision be made by the Asamblea Nacional.

Maytín's comments come as the public consultations on the proposed changes are wrapping up.

According to Maytín, the issue of public security in the country should not be an isolated decision of the Executive.

“We need to engage in discussions with the Ministerio Público, the judiciary and the Asamblea,” Maytín said.

The proposed changes, which include forming a border patrol and an intelligence branch, have been criticized as giving the government, and in particular the Executive branch, too much power.

The Red Democrática Ciudadana plans to protest the proposed changes at 5 p.m. Wednesday in front of the Iglesia del Carmen.

The Executive branch plans to hold a series of meetings this week to discuss the proposed changes with former government minister and police officials, as well as political leaders. The government has already met with a variety of groups, including the Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada, the Alianza Ciudadana Pro Justicia, the Consejo Ecuménico, and directors of the Autoridad del Canal de Panamá. Transparencia Internacional was also part of those meetings.