Respect to keep social media open and not to think about closing them is in danger before the actions of the Government.
This way, various sectors of the country have reacted by seeing the situation of the media in a state of helplessness, regardless of the editorial line that they represent.
Even the possibility that friends to the Government may be seeking to take advantage out of the economic downturn suffered by some of the media companies.
Only yesterday, spokesmen for the Grupo Editorial El Siglo y La Estrella (Gese), denounced that important valuable work places and workforce are at stake.
In view of this situation, representatives of journalistic associations have demanded respect for freedom of expression, and the mere act of talking about closing the media must be removed from our democratic thinking.
The Secretary General of the Union of Journalists of Panama (SIP), Filemón Medina, explained that the closure of a medium is a disastrous precedent for the Government, which must be the guarantor of the Panamanians to keep jobs.
"Not allowing at this turbulent times that there are people fishing in troubled waters and seeking to take advantage of the critical situation", he said.
Previously, the controlling shareholder of the Group Gese, Abdul Waked, denounced that the Government and friends to the Government would be "forcing him to sell" his newspapers.
"I am being asphyxiated everywhere; I will not sell my newspapers", said the businessman, who declared that there are politicians of the Government after these media.
As a result, trade unionist, Filemón Medina, said that the Government has failed to demand compliance with due process and defend the integrity of the country.
"Before the political rumor, it cannot be possible that due investigations had not been started, which is unfair to the workers who are being forced to deal with the situation."
At the same time, the President of the National College of Journalists (Conape), Blanca Gomez, stated that the closure of the media cannot be in the mind of Panamanians.
SHe explained that "the news of the possible closure of a medium of communication is tragic and just thinking about this is unacceptable".
Mrs. Gomez lamented how the lack of income has been strangling newspapers La Estrella de Panama and El Siglo.
"We have to have all the currents of thought," she said.
However, the background that exist on the way in which the administration of President Juan Carlos Varela has threatened freedom of expression is broad.
In the case of the Editora Panama America S.A. (Epasa), attacks and disagreements of the Varela administration come from officials of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial, as well as autonomous institutions, including the Electoral Tribunal (TE).
In a recent interview with President Varela on intentions to close newspapers of Epasa, he stated that there was an investigation in the Public Ministry, information that has never been confirmed by the Attorney General of the Nation.
At the time, the Electoral Tribunal threatened to impose a fine of up to $50 thousand to Epasa for the publication of an article on the results of an opinion poll.
Even these threats have spread to journalists with an extensive experience in the media.
Álvaro Alvarado, journalist of Telemetro Reporta, reported on his social networks, since August 25, 2015, that he received an alert that the Government had a plan of persecution against him, through the Unit of Financial Analysis (UAF), responsible for tracking movements of money, and through the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), entity responsible for the collection and audit on tax matters.
The Government has also threatened to create a law which regulate the journalistic profession, but that it proposes to make all those who practice journalism illegally become punishable by a sentence of between two and five years in prison.
