Panama Has Chosen A Woman
PRD Presidential Hopeful Balbina Herrera
Panama’s ruling political party has chosen Balbina Herrera to represent them in next years elections. The Partido Revolucionario Democratico (PRD) members voted yesterday and chose Herrera over Juan Carlos Navarro and Laurentino Cortizo.
Herrera has an impressive political background. She stepped down from her post as National Housing Minister in order to run for the presidency, and she also served as mayor of San Miguelito in the 1980’s. She was also president of Panama’s National Assembly.
The election of Herrera has made international headlines. From Reuters to The Huffington Post, various international news outlets are covering the story. Some are delving in to her questionable history with Manuel Noriega. Whatever relationship she had with Noriega in the past seems to worry foreigners much more than it does Panamanians.
Herrera has successfully honed her image as an ally of Panama’s poor. One item on her to-do list should she be elected president, is to get rid of income taxes for Panamanians earning less than $2,500 a month (most Panamanians fall in to that category). Though she is hoping to make life better for poor Panamanians, she also has support from a number of big businesses.
The presidential vote will take place in May 2009 and she will likely face the toughest competition from Juan Carlos Varela of the Panamenista Party and Ricardo Martinelli from the Democratic Change Party. Should Herrera win the presidency in 2009, she wouldn’t be the first woman to hold the top position in Panamanian politics. Mireya Moscoso was elected president of the Republic in 1999.
| Written by Rebecca Tyre |  |
This post's rating:
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Related Stories
USA Soccer Fans Unite in Panama, Central America
Top 5: Best and Worst of Being a Woman in Panama
Exiled in Panama
Herrera Named Panama’s 2008 Baseball MVP
Filed under: News, Politics on September 8th, 2008
I disagree with the ‘foreigners more concerned about her link with Noriega than locals’ as I’ve spoken to a lot of prominent people in Panama who seem to be shaking in their boots at the thought of this.
I agree with PanaMatt. The prospect of Balbina Herrera as next president scares LOTS of Panamanians as well as foreigners. What also scares lots of Panamanians and foreigners about Balbina Herrera has a lot to do with her play for “indentity” politics that have nothing to do with gender. I hope this was just a tactic used by the self-proclaimed Balbina “la Chola” for the PRD primary against white Juan Carlos Navarro, and not a tactic to be used in the general election. One thing is for sure. The world is watching.
I think people’s opinions may depend on what part of the country they are living in. From my experience in the Azuero peninsula, people tend to laugh her off.
I am continually asking people here what they think and NO ONE I have spoken to has a concern about her past with Noriega. If anything they are happy with her election because they think she’ll be able to save them money.
In the city the point of view very well could be different.
I have lived in Panama for 5 years after leaving California.
I am extremely concerned about Balbina’s connections with Chavez, and Cuba.
The tactic is always “tell” the poor to give something, or lower costs, etc.
I hope Panama wakes up and doesn’t vote for her.