Panamanian Deputy Paulette Thomas has publicly opposed the potential appointment of former Chilean deputy Ricardo Rincón as ambassador to Panama, citing past allegations of domestic violence.
Speaking before the Panamanian Parliament, Thomas rejected the nomination of the former Chilean legislator, stating that "Panama does not need one more aggressor" to serve as a diplomatic representative.
The outlet elmostrador.cl reported that the lawmaker specifically highlighted Rincón's legal history, noting he was subject to both civil and criminal complaints filed by his former partner, Carolina Hidalgo, for physical injuries.
Thomas emphasized the gravity of the diplomatic role, describing an ambassador as "the highest-ranking representative that one country sends to another to manage the relationship between both."
Calls for withdrawal
The Panamanian legislator demanded that the nomination be reversed. "We hope that his candidacy is withdrawn," Thomas said, according to elmostrador.cl.
She further urged the public to condemn such behavior, stating, "We must break the silence, point out the aggressors, and extract them from our society. No matter where they come from."
The allegations against Rincón date back to 2003. Following a period of living together for nearly three years, Carolina Hidalgo filed charges involving an incident from July 2002, in which she alleged she was subjected to punches and kicks, as reported by elmostrador.cl.
Rincón’s name has surfaced as a possible political appointee for foreign service roles. This comes as the administration of President José Antonio Kast evaluates its list of diplomatic nominations.
Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not officially confirmed or denied whether Rincón is included in the final list of ambassadors for the 2026-2030 period.
