A conflict is escalating in Panama between the Comptroller General, Anel Flores, and the Attorney General, Luis Carlos Gómez. The recent incident occurred when Flores, without prior notice or invitation, arrived at the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and interrupted an interview with two forensic auditors from the Comptroller's Office. The auditors were being questioned as part of an investigation into the alleged illicit enrichment of former Vice President José Gabriel 'Gaby' Carrizo. Flores and his entourage halted the interview, preventing the auditors from signing their statements. The Comptroller's Office stated the visit was to check on the auditors' well-being, as the interview had lasted over eight hours. However, the Public Prosecutor's Office (PGN) condemned Flores's actions as an 'overstepping of functions' and launched an investigation into the incident. The tension between the two bodies has been building since January 2025, centered on the dependency of criminal investigations on the Comptroller's audits. Last year, Gómez proposed a law that would allow audit reports to be presented in court without requiring validation from the Comptroller's Office, which Flores saw as a threat. In response, Gómez presented two anti-corruption bills to the National Assembly, but they ultimately failed to pass.
