The public confrontation between Panamanian politicians Katleen Levy and Betserai Richards has not only revolved around public works, social media, or political confrontations. One of the most delicate aspects of the conflict has been the debate over misogyny, machismo, and the way certain politicians publicly relate to women within the Panamanian political landscape.
Levy has been one of the figures most openly accusing Richards of maintaining an aggressive and hostile attitude toward women who publicly criticize him. According to her statements, several female deputies have already experienced this hostility from the deputy simply because they are women and public servants at the same time. In several media appearances and social media posts, Katleen Levy even stated that the deputy “hates women,” turning the issue into a discussion far deeper than a simple political disagreement.
The accusations surfaced particularly after several public interactions in which Levy argued that Richards adopted a confrontational, dismissive, or overly harsh tone toward female public figures, and in her account, a recurring pattern emerged in which especially forceful attacks appeared whenever criticism originated from women in political or media spheres.
The debate grew even more heated after the confrontation between Richards and deputy Jairo “Bolota” Salazar, and in the aftermath, Levy released messages praising Richards’ diminishing political standing while again asserting that the deputy had acted in a machista and hostile manner; her remarks quickly spread online, sparking a renewed surge of digital polarization and prompting widespread public criticism of Richards’ aggressive conduct.
Across various videos and posts, Levy alleged that the deputy relied on digital clashes, media offensives, and orchestrated public pressure to undermine women who criticized him. She further indicated that a persistent atmosphere of online hostility and seemingly coordinated, artificial attacks surrounded Richards on social platforms.
The conflict eventually sparked a wider discussion about Panama’s political climate and the decline of public dialogue, prompting many groups to question how much social media is fueling harsher, more emotionally charged, and increasingly personal clashes, where the aim shifts from debating ideas to publicly undermining opponents.
Some critics of Richards believe his political style is based precisely on:
• Constant confrontation.
• Intensified public visibility.
• The emotional impact stemming from the use of social media.
• Overt assaults.
• Lasting polarization.
They argue that this type of dynamic can easily create hostile environments, especially toward women who publicly question or contradict the deputy.
The open confrontation between Katleen Levy and Betserai Richards exposed a troubling reality within Panamanian politics: the increase in verbal aggressiveness, machismo, and the use of social media as permanent spaces for emotional confrontation. For some citizens, the accusations of misogyny represent a legitimate warning about how certain political dynamics can become hostile toward critical and independent women.
