Influencer Sues Presidential Candidate in Panama

The Public Prosecutor's Office admitted the lawsuit filed by influencer Juan Pablo Barceló against former presidential candidate Ricardo Lombana. The legal action arose after Barceló posted a random video, and Lombana commented on it from his account: "I hope you're being well paid for this." Barceló stated that, although he believes the process "will lead to nothing" due to Lombana's "power," he decided to file the lawsuit anyway. In Barceló's opinion, Lombana "has become an arrogant, power-hungry person." He recalled that in 2019, when no one knew Lombana, he "put himself out there," endured insults, and received no payment for his comments. "How sad to live by getting paid to lie, and on top of that with vulgarities," he said. "He has to learn to respect, because he thinks he is the only person in this country who can oppose and everything he says is true," he affirmed. He added that in Panama an environment has been created where if you say something for or against a situation, it's because you are being paid. It transpired that prosecutor Reynaldo Lay, from the Primary Attention of the Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office, admitted the action led by lawyer Joel Brown on behalf of Barceló. The influencer is seeking compensation of $75,000 for the alleged crimes of slander and defamation.