Scandal Involving Annette Planells and La Prensa in Panama

Attorney Karisma Karamañites stated that Planells had received the Electoral Tribunal's disqualification of Ricardo Martinelli, a presidential candidate, the day before. However, he lamented that there is still personnel within the Public Ministry who would respond to the interests of former prosecutors Kenia Porcell and Javier Caraballo. Last week, Planells was harshly criticized by the US ambassador, Kevin Marino Cabrera, who without hesitation called the former president of La Prensa an 'extortionist' and later described the president of Foco as a person 'based on corruption'. These actions were of such magnitude that the newspaper La Prensa did not hesitate to remove her from her position as president and board member. The newspaper further claimed that Planells failed to meet any of the three requirements demanded for high positions within the news corporation, including distancing herself from Foco and ceasing political activism. Karamañites also alleged that in a conversation, Planells mentioned the Supreme Court of Justice as a way to seek the possible disqualification of current president José Raúl Mulino. According to the lawyer, this is not a single crime but several, including malfeasance, money laundering, corruption, extortion, and an attack on the country's democracy. Professor Miguel Antonio Bernal considers it urgent to create a special investigative commission to report to the country on the scandal involving Annette Planells, former president and board member of La Prensa, with alleged extortions of politicians and businessmen. Lawyer Basilio González believes that Karamañites's revelations are 'criminis' and the Public Ministry must initiate an investigation on its own initiative. He also stated that Planells used the newspaper La Prensa as a key piece to generate news with half-truths and then ask for money in return. González argues that if an investigation is opened, it should be assigned to a prosecutor for organized crime because 'it has the widest spectrum' and can track the movement of money from the alleged extortion. Professor Bernal wrote on X about the urgent need to create a special investigative commission to investigate the existence of a criminal organization dedicated to extortion, whose activities could have influenced judicial decisions in high-profile cases. He warns that without such an investigation, an 'unstoppable social tsunami' could occur. Lawyer Guillermina McDonald believes that Karamañites's revelations have once again placed the transparency of Panama's justice system at the center of the debate, particularly due to the claim that the former board of La Prensa knew about rulings before they were formally notified to the parties involved. Planells, a member of Movin and a board member of Foco, has also been linked to a plot to prevent José Raúl Mulino's candidacy for the 2024 general elections through the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ). One of the issues to correct is the 'Champion Against Corruption' distinction that the Biden administration awarded to Planells in 2023. The scandal escalated exponentially when lawyer Karisma Karamañites revealed that Foco, a digital media outlet linked to Planells, allegedly extorted politicians and businessmen. According to Karamañites, who presented the appeal against Mulino to the Supreme Court, Planells was reportedly happy that the case landed with Magistrate Olmedo Arrocha, whom she called 'diligent.' Furthermore, the claimant stated she heard an angry Planells complaining because María Eugenia was not answering her phone. The president of the CSJ is María Eugenia López de Arias. Planells must be investigated 2.0.