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CENTRAL AMERICA |
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Central American
Presidents Reject
Panama's Decision To Leave Parlacen
MANAGUA - President of
the Central American Parliament (Parlacen)
Jacinto Suarez said on Monday that the
presidents of the Central American countries
did not support Panama's request of
withdrawal from the Parlacen.
Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli had
been making phone calls to his Central
American counterparts to seek support for
his decision to withdraw from the
organization, but Guatemalan President
Alvaro Colom, Nicaraguan President Daniel
Ortega, El Salvador's President Mauricio
Funes and Costa Rican President Osca Arias
all expressed disapproval, Suarez told local
TV Channel Canal 12.
"The Presidents of Guatemala (Colom),
Nicaragua (Ortega) and ElSalvador (Funes)
told Martinelli that they do not support him
on leaving the Parlacen," Suarez said.
Suarez added that this placed Martinelli
into a difficult situation with the Central
American integration system.
"Martinelli now wants the Legislative
Assembly of his country to break the
Constitutive Treaty with the Parlacen, and
he is going to use that as political shield
saying that he cannot violate the decision
of the Panamanian legislative
organizations," Suarez said.
During his electoral campaign, Martinelli
promised to withdraw Panama from the
Parlacen, which, according to him, was a
desire of the Panamanian people because they
did not receive any benefit as a member of
that regional organization.
The Parlacen, established in 1991, includes
six members, which are Guatemala, El
Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and
the Dominican Republic.
It is formed by 20 deputies of each member
state, former presidents and vice presidents
of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua and Panama, as well as 22
parliamentarians appointed by the Dominican
Republic. |
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