Panama's Supreme Court Declares Prosecutor Zuleyka Moore's Dismissal Legal

The name of Zuleyka Moore, one of the prosecutors close to former President Juan Carlos Varela, has resurfaced after the Supreme Court of Justice declared her dismissal legal. Moreover, Moore accumulated criticism even from the Supreme Court of Justice during her five years at the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. For example, Moore seized a farm from a businessman without him being linked to the Odebrecht case. At the time, the magistrates also indicated that the 'arbitrary actions' of Prosecutor Moore violated due process. Moore had suffered several setbacks in the courts in cases such as the radar cases and the Odebrecht bribery case itself. Affected parties state that this is an act of justice after the 'serious and nefarious errors' committed by Moore that harmed many people. Moore's credibility was called into question because she was reportedly the figure Varela wanted to have within the Court to avoid deep investigations. In June 2024, then Attorney General Javier Caraballo confirmed Moore's dismissal, who at that time had been transferred to Bocas del Toro due to her constant mistakes. Despite having the blessing of Varela's Executive Branch, her appointment was rejected by the National Assembly in January 2018, with 18 votes in favor and 52 against. This week, the decision became final after the Third Chamber of Administrative and Labor Litigation of the Supreme Court of Justice declared her dismissal legal. She was also in the news before when, in December 2017, Varela appointed her as a magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice for the period 2018-2027. The decision was quickly categorized as a 'judicial catastrophe'. Due to this poor management, the Public Ministry had to pay 50 thousand dollars in material damages. But the appointment generated immediate collective rejection.