Former Mayor Likens Ricardo Martinelli to Al Capone

Yesterday, former Panama City mayor Juan Carlos Navarro compared President Martinelli to famed gangster Al Capone, La Critica reports.

Navarro said one similarity is the way Martinelli travels to separate himself from crisis situations like the current controversy generated by the “9 in 1 law” project that seeks to eliminate environmental and workers rights. Opponents to the law have nicknamed it the golazo law, the name for an amazing goal scored in a World Cup game for example.  The golazo reforms six laws and three codes with the goal of attracting investment.  It promotes commercial aviation while eliminating environmental impact studies for projects considered to be in the social interest, taking away workers rights to strike and giving police officers license to kill.

Navarro believes it is an insult to the intelligence of the Panamanians to pass a law that is harmful, toxic and bad for Panama’s interests in the absence of the President who is currently in Greece.

“Martinelli reminds me of the times of Al Capone, who assassinated his enemies in the mafia before he traveled,” he said.  ”We are on the brink of a civil dictatorship.  Laws are imposed through blood and fire – and a law that puts our fundamental guaranties at risk.”

Juan Carlos Navarro was the youngest citizen ever elected to the Panama City Mayor’s Office and served during both the Mireya Moscoso and Martin Torrijos administrations.  He received his B.A. from Dartmouth in 1983 and his Masters in Public Policy from Harvard in 1985.  He speaks English, French and Spanish and is one of the founders of Panama’s National Association for the Conservation of Nature.

Juan Carlos Navarro