Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino once again criticized the justice system and the flexibility of some judges when granting precautionary measures to people convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking, putting collective security at risk.
This battle against gangs, drug trafficking, and organized crime cannot have flexibility with these convicted scoundrels," he expressed.
In his presentation, the president showed three files of people sentenced to several years in prison for drug and gang cases, and yet they benefited from house arrest, decisions that, in his opinion, show a lack of enforcement of existing laws for those responsible to face the weight of justice.
Mulino mentioned that he agrees that the rights of those involved in these cases should be respected, but he feels that the criminal system has become "more of a guarantee than it is in concept and in theory".
He pointed out that the issue of security concerns him, but he cannot set a deadline to get rid of criminals because it is not an easy task, especially because the influence and penetration of these cartels often comes from other countries with internal problems.
To counter organized crime, Mulino announced that he is working on an anti-mafia bill inspired by models implemented in the United States and Italy. He has asked Attorney General Luis Gómez Rudy and the heads of institutions to be instructed on the matter, to request information and advice from the authorities of both countries to replace "the garbage" that is currently in place because it is not yielding the expected results.
This initiative has been transformed over time as these associations have specialized, incorporating measures to investigate crimes of financial fraud and counterfeit products.
Sanctions in these cases range from 20 years in prison to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the act, and triple damages recovery.
"That's what I want to aim for, an anti-mafia, anti-gang law, but like the one used in New York and in Italy," he asserted.
"Either we all work in the same direction or we are going to poke each other's eyes out."
