The President of the Republic, according to Article 178 of the Constitution, does not have the power to repeal laws in Panama. This point was emphasized by Doctor Luis De León Arias, President of the National Association of Jurists of Panama and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Columbus University. According to the highest authority of Panamanian jurists, the President lacks the constitutional order to carry out such an action, even when exercising powers with the participation of a Minister or the Cabinet Council.
The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, also does not have constitutional competence to repeal laws in the country. This function lies with the National Assembly, according to the constitutional mandate. The Assembly is the source of origin of laws and is the body responsible for issuing them according to the aims of the State, including reforms and repeals, as well as national codes.
The objective of emphasizing this limitation of the President is to promote reflection and reasoning, avoiding paths that may result in deadlock situations, harming the nation and its institutional stability. It is important to always remember divine protection and act in accordance with the Constitution to avoid violations of it.
