news

Solidaridad candidate and former President Guillermo Endara is alleging a de facto understanding between Martín Torrijos and Mireya Moscoso, calling it the “Pacto Mami” and alleging that one aspect of it is the Howard Special Economic Zone. According to Endara, the project would destroy the Colon Free Zone. The legislature closed its 2003 session without voting on the Howard proposal, but it might become the subject of a special assembly session.

The PRD, which had planned to announce its candidates for first and second vice-president and its candidates for the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) on January 18, will instead meet for this purpose on January 15. Frequently mentioned as possible running mates are entertainer and activist Rubén Blades, businessman Gabriel Lewis Navarro and Partido Popular legislator Rubén Arosemena. The big controversy with respect to the PRD’s PARLACEN slate is whether former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares will be on it. Toro, caught up in a buoy and lighthouse maintenance kickback scandal, has used his present membership in PARLACEN to maintain immunity from investigation and prosecution and there are some party members who want to get rid of this embarrassment by removing him from the ticket. However, it seems likely that Toro will be nominated for another term on the regional assembly.

The Arnulfista Party has postponed its convention from January 18 until January 25, to avoid a conflict with the PRD’s convention. The Mireyistas plan to hold a rally at Parque Urraca to coincide with their convention, and are predicting that 150,000 people will attend. If one considers the number of Arnulfista, MOLIRENA and Liberal Nacional members whose jobs depend on political patronage and the number of family members of these individuals, 150,000 would be a reasonable prediction.

Supermarket baron Ricardo Martinelli, in a close race with Mireyista candidate José Miguel Alemán for a distant third place in the May 2 presidential election, has chosen Roxana Méndez, the former director of Casa Esperanza, as the candidate for second vice-president on the Cambio Democratico ticket. The party’s candidate for first vice-president is former vice-minister for foreign commerce Roberto Henríquez.

It was billed as a massive sign-up of new members for the Arnulfista Party in Las Tablas, where erstwhile PRD legislator Carlos Afú seeks re-election on Mireya’s ticket. But since it was on December 28 --- the Day of the Holy Innocents, Panama’s equivalent of April Fools Day --- people must not have taken it seriously. The inscription drive didn’t happen.



Also in this section:
Panama News Briefs
Legislature leaves much undone
Looking back on 2003
Arrests in Costa Rican radio pundit's murder
On the campaign trail
Venezuelan soldiers killed in Colombian incursion

Back to top

Panama Information, Hotels of Panama - Executive Hotel
Panama Information, Real estate in Boquete - Valle Escondido
Panama Information, Real Estate in Las Cumbres - Villa Concordia
Panama Information - Online guide to information about Panama - www.panama-information.executivehotel-panama.com
Panama Tourism - Online info for the Tourist Panama - www.travel-to-panama.com
Panama Pictures - Collection of pictures of Panama - www.panama-pictures.com