Given the barrage of criticism for the intentions of the Government to ban the freedom of expression, Panamanian Deputy Melitón Arrocha announced that he is withdrawing the controversial initiative from first discussion with the intent of the Government to control and restrict criticism.
In the best style of authoritarian governments, it was a draft law that sought to regulate content on Web portals and social networks.
“Due to the multiple comments generated by the preliminary draft containing the Law of Oblivion, tomorrow [last Wednesday] we will withdraw it from the first debate", Arrocha posted on his Twitter account.
The proposal by Melitón Arrocha (former Minister of Commerce and Industries, political and personal friend of President Juan Carlos Varela) becomes the third failed intention by the Government to legalize rules that control the media and prevent massive criticism again his management.
Background
Melitón Arrocha´s Deputy Legislator (Juan Moya) already submitted a preliminary draft which sought to directly regulate the exercise of the profession of journalism in Panama.
With citizen presuure mounting this attempt was withdrawn from the National Assembly on October 15, 2015.
Despite the failure of the proposed law, the Government and its circle zero decided to focus again on the control of the media, but this time via a controversial article of electoral reforms.
The proposal sought to fully empower the judges of the Electoral Tribunal (THE) to close media, something which was rated by Constitutionalist Italo Antinori - among others - as a "real attack against journalism and the freedom of expression".
That proposal also received the repudiation of the public opinion, which motivated that on 11 November 2015, the TE´s judges to abort this attempt.
On that day, after a two-hour meetings with the National Council of Journalism (CNP), the three judges denied that pressure had been received from the central Government, and alleged that "at no time was there an intention to affect fundamental freedoms".
A statement that to date does not convince the legal sectors and the civil society.
For example, Constitutionalist Miguel Antonio Bernal argues that there is a plan orchestrated among institutions to curtail freedom of press and information.
"This Government, in collusion with the TE, seeks to control the electoral system to trample on the citizens’ ´ rights," said Bernal.
He asserts that Varela "methodology" consists in presenting every now and then a project to try to exert control over the media and against criticism.
And although the latest initiative was yet again thwarted, "phone calls are still being monitored, and follow-up on people who do not share the Government´s view is still being carried out," he said.
In this sense, he rated the so-called "law of oblivion" as a "punch that they had attempted against the freedom of expression". And he showed no surprise that "in a couple of months another a new restriction attempt will appear".
Threat against the media
But aside from veiled laws, Varela´s government has clearly kept a campaign against media critics, through intimidating measures against media such as Grupo Epasa, CB24´s representation and TV channel NEXtv.
Also there is also harassment to journalists such as as Santiago Fascetto, July Miller, Alvaro Alvarado, among others.
"Today more attacks are perpetrated against the means of communication and against journalists, ordered by the structures of economic power and the Government", lamented the political analyst Jose Blandon.
Legislator Zulay Rodríguez warned that "it is not just about mere signs any more, but concrete evidence that the Government is attacking journalists and media critical of this government".
