Former Panama Mayor Takes Responsibility for Corruption Scandal

In a brief statement, the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) member Héctor Valdés Carrasquilla clarified that he was the one who discovered and removed the official involved in a supposed corruption act at the San Miguelito Mayor's Office. "I was the one who discovered the irregularities, who ordered the audit, fired the official, and reported the fact to the Prosecutor's Office," Carrasquilla stated, who was mayor in the period 2019–2024. The measure includes three other former officials: Sulay Linares, Gelacio González, and Pedro Perea. Finally, the former mayor of San Miguelito said he is "as always, available to collaborate with that work." "I did what corresponded: protect public funds and make the complaint before the law since 2022," added the former mayor. According to Valdés Carrasquilla, "the truth is already written in the facts." A few weeks ago, the Comptroller General of the Republic seized assets in the name of Valdés Carrasquilla for $285,845. In this case, the amount exceeds one million dollars. In addition to Carrasquilla, former Vice President José Gabriel Carrizo received the same measure from the Comptroller's Office. The measure was due to supposed irregularities in the collection at a municipal agency located at Metro Mall between March and April 2022, to the detriment of the heritage of the Municipality of San Miguelito. From here on, it corresponds to the Public Ministry to lead the criminal investigation.