Panama Presidential Elections- May 2009

With all the hubub about the U.S. election up North, it’s easy to forget that Panama will soon be changing head of state as well. The election season is just getting underway and several hopefuls are establishing themselves as front runners. The Presidential election takes place in May of 2009, but that hasn’t stopped the following candidates from campaigning early. This is a list of leading candidates based on a recent local poll. Party affiliations are indicated in ( ) with the following abbreviations:

PRD = Revolutionary Democratic Party, the ruling party of current President Torrijos

PPA = Partido Panameñista

CD = Democratic Change

The Front Runners:

Balbina Herrera (PRD)

The more left wing PRD candidate, Balbina is highly endorsed by the interior of Panama and is popular as she is the current minister of housing . According to a recent poll in La Prensa, 1 in 4 Panamanians will vote for Herrera making her the favorite.

Juan Carlos Navarro ( PRD)

Is considered to be the more right winged, conservative PRD candidate. He has been Panama City’s mayor for the past 10 years during which time his focus on the environment and conservation has been notable. He was the youngest Panamanian ever elected to this office as well as the youngest member ever elected to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in 1990. As Mayor, he has been responsible for 5,000 plus jobs and an annual budget of more than 60 million dollars.

Juan Carlos Varela (PPA)- A businessman and family heir of the Abuelo Rum company, Varela is the current president of the Panamenista party, formerly known as the Arnulfulistas who were in office during Mireya Moscosos presidency.

Ricardo Martinelli (CD)

According to the latest poll in La Prensa, Martinelli comes in second place after Balbina Hererra receiving 20.3 percent of the voters polled. Martinelli ran for presidency in 2004 and has remained president of the CD party. He is a businessman and own’s the country’s largest private company, a supermarket chain, “Super 99.” He served from 94-99 under Ernesto Balladares as Social Security Director and from 99-04 as Chairman of the Boar of Directors of the Panama Canal Authority.

This may be the most important election in Panama’s recent history. The Canal Expansion is underway, a real estate boom may turn to a bubble and the giant surge in foreign investment and interest must be properly nurtured. So, Panama finds itself at a pivotal point. With the right leadership it could emerge as the region’s leader in quality of life, economic strength and political stability.

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Filed under: News, Politics on May 8th, 2008