The public confrontation between Panamanian politicians Katleen Levy and Betserai Richards has extended far beyond disputes over public works, social networks, or political clashes, evolving into a tense discussion about misogyny, machismo, and the ways certain politicians interact publicly with women across the Panamanian political scene.
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.
In several videos and publications, Levy accused the deputy of using digital confrontations, media attacks, and public pressure campaigns as mechanisms to discredit women who were critical of his figure. She also suggested that around Richards there existed a constant dynamic of digital hostility and artificial, coordinated attacks on social media.
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.
Certain commentators contend that Richards’s political approach is grounded specifically in:
• Constant confrontation.
• Aggressive public exposure.
• The emotional impact stemming from the use of social media.
• Direct attacks.
• Lasting polarization.
They contend that this kind of dynamic can readily foster antagonistic settings, particularly for women who openly challenge or dispute 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.
