Bosco is the mayor

PANAMA. After three months of controversy and several lawsuits questioning his capability of being mayor due to his dual citizenship, Bosco Vallarino finally achieved his goal of becoming mayor of the Panama district.

During a low key ceremony and accompanied by his deputy, Roxana Mendez, Vallarino took possession of his post.

Vallarino said that he has found many irregularities in the municipality and even it is case of a neighborhood representative taking bribes in exchange of favors.

The former television presenter and broadcaster was attacked by political rivals like Dr. Miguel Antonio Bernal, who was running for mayor and is an expert in constitutional law for having a dual nationality.

Bernal questioned the Electoral Tribunal for letting run Vallarino in the mayoralty race, although he had an American passport and allegedly voted for Barack Obama in Miami in the last US elections.

Vallarino through his lawyer Herbert Young, said that he had tacitly to the American citizenship under the Suarez doctrine by living full time in Panama.

In several interviews, Vallarino said to the media that he was obliged to ask for political asylum and finally adopt the American citizenship when he flee the military regime of the former strong man of Panama, Manuel Antonio Noriega in the 80s.

Although his mayoralty candidacy was controversial, Vallarino won by a wide margin, much to the surprise of his rival, the Revolutionary Democratic Party candidate, Roberto “Bobby” Velasquez, who was also involved in a scandal about receiving campaign contribution money from alleged Colombian scammer, David Murcia Guzman.

The former broadcaster had to wait for a few more weeks for the Electoral Tribunal to solve his citizenship issue and two weeks ago the National Assembly passed a resolution restoring Vallarino’s citizen privileges.

After almost 15 days of deliberation, the Electoral Tribunal decided to give the credential to the elect mayor.

Vallarino said that his first task is resolved the refuse collection problem in the capital city and give a better wages and working conditions to the street cleaners, known as “hormiguitas” (little ants) as well as fighting corruption.