…an ethical Supreme Court. Just not in the United States.
Yesterday, Monday 4 March, two Supreme Courts delivered very different rulings regarding past and hopeful-for-again Presidents. And both are criminals. But only here in Panama was the moral and proper and legal ruling made. The mostly full story is here.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/5/panama-annuls-ex-president-martinellis-election-candidacy
The parallels are rather bizarre. The US Pretendsident and Former President Ricardo Martinelli are/were both wealthy. Both are corrupt. Both claim election interference rather than innocence. Both have been convicted of something. Both have suspicion of espionage issues. Both have more trials pending. And both think it is OK to run again for leadership of their country. And both have large, bewildering support from the voters.
But the Supreme Court of Panama “annulled the candidacy of former President Ricardo Martinelli in the presidential election set for May.” One difference is that Martinelli had been hiding in the Nicaraguan embassy for a while. And none of that “but it’s only 60 days til the election” crap. Yet both Constitutions play a role. In Panama, the constitution does not allow anyone convicted and sentenced to five years or more for a crime from holding elected office. Period. The end. And the Supreme Court here somehow was able to read that and apply it without hindrance. Funny that. A country that was basically created and owned by the US for so long was able to ethically control a criminal leader better than the US. But disheartening that leadership in so very many places across the world is indeed disgustingly greedy and criminal. Keith Olbermann goes as far to call the US Justices whores. I am not comfortable with that. But I do label that current bunch the Inferior Court.
You might remember the country wide protest here in Panama last October/November over the mine. Again the Supreme Court of Panama stepped in and delivered the ethical ruling. I wonder what makes the difference between the two Supreme Courts.