By Raúl Carrillo for El Siglo - The Panamanian Electoral Tribunal (TE) has lifted criminal electoral immunity (or protection from prosecution) from presidential primary candidate from the ruling Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) political party Juan Carlos Navarro, and has authorized the office of the First Anti Corruption Prosecutor to pursue indictments against the Mayor of Panama City for supposed crimes against Public Administration. The investigation being conducted by the First Anti Corruption Prosecutor of the Public Ministry is based on a complaint related to the closing of a mini-supermarket in Villa Unida, located in Chilibre, the property of Modesto Cerrud Duarte. (more)

Inside Costa Rica.com - The opposition in Panama split into two alliances for the May 3, 2009 presidential elections, says La Prensa daily, with deadline set on February 3, 2009. The media also talks of the up coming signing of an alliance between Cambio Democratico, led by Businessman Ricardo Martinelli, and Union Patriotica of Vice President Guillermo Ford. The sources say Movimiento Liberal Republicano Nacionalista (MOLIRENA) holds talks with its historic Panamenista Party ally, largest government opponent led by businessman Juan Carlos Varela. Vanguardia Moral de la Patria, fifth opposition party, supports ex President Guillermo Endara (1989-1994). Still, the leader of the government Liberal Party, Joaquin Franco III, calls hard to assemble an opposition alliance since Varela and Martinelli are running for president.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Juan Carlos Varela won the Panamanista primary election last weekend, defeating Alberto Vallarino and Marco Ameglio. He is now his party's nominee for the national Panamanian elections that will be held in May 2009. Right now the two most powerful leaders of the opposition to the ruling PRD are Ricardo Martinelli and Juan Carlos Varela. Everyone already knows that if the opposition does not unite before the national election, then no single opposition party will have a snowball's chance in hell of knocking off the PRD. So the question remains - How long will we be forced to endure the speculation? (more)

By Fermín Estribí for the Panama America - The Nation Front for the Defense of Economic and Social Rights (FRENADESO) has started a campaign against what it calls an "electoral farce" in rejection of the various presidential candidates from both the PRD and opposition parties. The campaign was presented by the leader of FRENADESO Saúl Méndez, who says that none of the presidential aspirants represent the interests of the Panamanian people and that they are a product of the "decrepit" system that defines the country's destiny. Therefore, FRENADESO proposes the holding of Open Popular Town Hall meetings to establish the bases in order to propose a constituent assembly, indicated Méndez. The leader declared, in the name of FRENADESO, his rejection of the Singular Health System, and asks the government for immediate solutions to problems such as the faults in the transport system and the deterioration of the schools.

Panama, Jun 10 (Prensa Latina) Panamanian government parties Revolutionary Democratic (PRD) and Popular (PP) ratified their will to keep their alliance for the elections of May 3, 2009. Both political parties together with the Liberal Party have been making negotiations to reinforce their coalition for more than a month. PRD and PP will sign a pact with this purpose Tuesday night, press media said here. PP, formerly Democrat Christian Party, was a tenacious opponent to PRD, but in 2001, an approaching process in the Panamanian Parliament with PRD started. Second Vice President Ruben Arosemena is the main PP figure in the government. PP and the Liberal Party have been losing presence in the national political life, and even some analysts estimate they are in the risk of not reaching the minimal number of votes to keep their registration before the Electoral Court.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Today a significantly misinformed local reporter, in covering a demonstration in Santa Fe de Veraguas, wrote "The Ngobe-Bugle Comarca has been over the past several election cycles the most politically volatile swing-voting part of Panama, and represents about eight percent of the national vote. More and more, it looks like Indian Country is turning against the PRD and in a national election that's otherwise close this could be decisive." In fact according to the official election results posted by Panama's Tribunal Electoral (Electoral Tribunal), in the 2004 Panamanian national elections there were 51,457 votes cast in the Ngobe-Bugle Comarca of the total 1,538,295 cast throughout the entire country, or exactly 3.3% of the entire vote. Of those votes cast in the Ngobe-Bugle Comarca, 30,062 went to Martin Torrijos and the PRD. (Note: Both the national and local totals reported includes blank and null votes cast.) So as usual this author is both woefully misinformed, but continues to refuse to allow the facts get in the way the truth as he would like to have it twisted. For what it's worth. This has been a "spin control" public service announcement.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - A Spanish language blog called El Aguijon covers Panamanian politics in depth and is an interesting read sometimes. "El Aguijon" means "The Sting." Its authors and contributors are generally accurate and relatively well informed. Today they discuss Balbina Herrera's strange decision to buck Martin Torrijos and the center power brokers of the Partido Revolucionario Democratico (PRD), strange considering the deal three-way political deal they struck in 2005 would give the position of General Secretary of the PRD to Martin Torrijos, the Presidency to Juan Carlos Navarro, and the Mayorship of Panama City to Balbina Herrera. In short, they were ready to hand it to her on a silver platter, and no one would have been able to beat her if she had the broad support of the entire party apparatus. (more)

El Siglo - Juan Carlos Navarro, presidential pre candidate for the PRD, said he is more certain than ever that he will resoundingly win the party primary election, which will be held on 7 September 2008, given the most recent results of the political strategies of his team. "We have added, but more important still, we have demonstrated that we have the capacity to unite to the PRD, to summon and to agglutinate the great majority of those in favor to guarantee the triumph in the 2009 elections, for the good of the country," said Navarro. Navarro made his statements during a recent tour through the provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos, where PRD candidates running for the positions of local mayors, Assemblymen to the National Assembly, local representatives, and community leaders all closed ranks with Navarro.

By Osiris Jurado Ávila for La Estrella - An unexpected turn among the internal followers of the PRD political party has forced former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera to reorient the compass of her strategy. The alliance between "El Toro" and Juan Carlos Navarro has obliged Balbina and her campaign "Of Heart With Balbina" to make visits to the offices of the various press and news outlets in the country, in order to counter attack and to disclose with greater intensity her work plan. This is only the beginning of an intense campaign among the members of the PRD, whose 650,000 members will vote in their upcoming 7 September 2008 primary elections to define the future of the party.

By Yodalis Bethancourt for La Critica - Presidential candidates Juan Carlos Navarro and Balbina Herrera exchanged glares on Wednesday when they both arrived on the stage erected to announce the launch of the candidacy of de Roberto Ábrego as an Assemblyman from La Chorrera. Balbina was not pleased by the surprise, and she exclaimed in a loud voice: that there one wins with votes, because the affection can not be bought. Yesterday Navarro accompanied President Martin Torrijos on a tour in Santiago and San Francisco de Veraguas, and participated in the activities commemorating the 70th anniversary the Normal Juan Demóstenes Arosemena school. They also carried out a tour through diverse parts of the province of Veraguas, and inspected work being accomplished to remodel the Omar Torrijos Herrera stadium. (more) (Panama Politics)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Fair warning - this is an opinion piece. Every once in awhile I allow myself the privilege of spouting off with my own thoughts and beliefs, and this is one of those times. This week the Democratic primary process in the United States has (apparently) finally come to a close. Barack Obama will be the Democratic candidate after finally having managed to pound the virtual stake into the Ever-Ready beating bleeding liberal heart of that bitch Hillary Clinton. I'm still waiting for some kind of a scene from every bad horror movie - when you think the demented serial killer is dead, but then he lurches back to life at the last minute to scare you one last time. I'm waiting for the "last Hillary second death lurch." (more)

La Critica - A group of members of the "Partido Revolucionario Democrático" (PRD) political party who are followers ex-President Ernesto Pérez Balladares have decided to support the presidential aspirations of the Mayor of Panama City, Juan Carlos Navarro, in the upcoming primary elections that will be held by the party. The unanimous decision was passed to Balladares who expressed his pleasure to several press outlets over their decision. Perez Balladares said that in his opinion all three of the PRD candidates have the necessary qualities to represent the party in the general election and to keep the party in power for five more years. Nevertheless he emphasized Navarro, who he considers to be an intelligent person with a team behind him capable of realizing a good administration, should he arrive in power. Balladares recognized that he has had differences of opinion with Navarro on several occasions, but emphasized that does not mean they are enemies, and therefore it is not surprising that he and his supporters have decided to support him. In addition Balladares said he would be available to collaborate with Navarro in any function or event that is part of his campaign. On the other hand he denied that his wife, Doras Boyd de Pérez Balladares, would be the person who would accompany Navarro on the ticket if he wins the primary election.

By Jilma Aguilar for El Siglo - The results of the next national elections which will be held on 3 May 2009 seem to depend on how many presidential candidates there are from the opposition. It is already a fact that one of them will be the President of the Cambio Democratico (CD) political party Ricardo Martinelli. His decision is based on the results of recent polling which currently place him as the leader among all opposition candidates. Polls conducted by both Dichter & Neira and PSM SIGMA Dos agree in these results. If this is true, the it would be necessary to recognize a shift in the Panamanian political landscape placing the Panameñista Party to third place, behind the ruling PRD party and their 640,000 members and Martinelli. (more)

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Fewer people in Panama express strong support for Martín Torrijos, according to a poll by CID-Gallup. 19 per cent of respondents think the president has done a good or very good job in office—down four points since January—while 45 per cent rate his performance as average. Torrijos—the son of Omar Torrijos, an army general who ruled Panama from 1968 to 1981—won the May 2004 presidential election as a candidate for the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) with 47.44 per cent of the vote. In 1999, Panama regained full control of the Panama Canal, the source of 10 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In October 2006, Panamanian voters supported the canal’s $5.25 billion U.S. expansion plan—which would add a parallel set of locks to allow giant cargo ships to pass through the waterway—in a nationwide referendum. On May 26, Torrijos announced that the government would tackle hiking rice prices by buying 100 per cent of this year’s harvest from farmers and selling it directly to consumers at a low cost. The president explained his decision saying, "The objective is to generate an increase in national production as soon as possible (...) and lower food prices."

Panama America - Presidential candidate from the ruling Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) Juan Carlos Navarro, said before a gathering of supporters in Parque Lefevre that he will "soundly" win the PRD primary on 7 September 2008 and that the party will continue to govern for the good of the country. Navarro commented that the PRD will not only demonstrate that they have what it takes to "repeat", but that they know what they want.

By Andrew Beatty PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - A leftist with an anti-U.S. past is the early front-runner for next year's presidential election in Panama, one of Latin America's economic growth success stories. Labeled a friend of the poor by supporters but a populist firebrand by opponents, Balbina Herrera enjoyed high ratings as housing minister in Panama's center-left government. She recently stepped down to run for president and is leading opinion polls for the May, 2009 vote. The latest survey by polling firm CID-Gallup put Herrera 6 points ahead of her closest rival, Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro, who she will run against for the nomination of the ruling Revolutionary Democratic Party, or PRD, in August. (more)

Panama America - In the next few days the President of the Patritic Union political party, Guillermo "Billy" Ford, will no longer be a candidate for President of the Republic, announced Aníbal Galindo, the Vice President of the UP. Galindo said on the RPC radio program that it is not in his plans to assume the presidential candidacy Ford is abandoning. He reiterated that so far he has not done anything to promote a presidential candidate from the Patriotic Union party.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Former housing minister Balbina Herrera is a popular choice in the early stages of Panama’s 2009 presidential race, according to a poll by Dichter & Neira published in La Prensa. 26.1 per cent of respondents would vote for Herrera of the governing Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) in the ballot, up one point since April. Ricardo Martinelli of the opposition Democratic Change (CD) is second with 19.3 per cent, followed by PRD member Juan Carlos Navarro with 14.8 per cent. Support is lower for Juan Carlos Varela and Alberto Vallarino of the Panameñista Party (PPA), and former president Guillermo Endara of the Moral Vanguard of the Homeland (VMP). PRD member Martín Torrijos—the son of Omar Torrijos, an army general who ruled Panama from 1968 to 1981—won the May 2004 presidential election with 47.44 per cent of the vote. Torrijos’ tenure has been marked by his support for an ambitious plan to expand the Panama Canal with an investment of $5.25 billion U.S. In October 2006, the proposal was ratified in a nationwide referendum. The PRD will hold a primary ballot to select the party’s official candidate on Sept. 7. In late April, Herrera voluntarily presented a list of campaign donors to the country’s electoral tribunal in order to shrug off rumours that linked her to Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. Herrera said that she wanted to demonstrate that Chávez is not on the list, assured that she has "never" met him, and added that she directed the tribunal to find out "who is responsible for spreading this type of information." The next presidential election in Panama is scheduled for May 3, 2009.

By Aaron Klein for the World Net Daily - JERUSALEM – An attorney and top foreign policy adviser to Sen. Barack Obama is coming under fire for representing controversial figures, including an accused human rights abuser, an alleged murderer of a U.S. soldier and even the would-be assassin of President Ronald Reagan. Greg Craig, who has been termed the "lawyer of the left," represented John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate Reagan in 1981 by firing six bullets at the president as he left a hotel. Craig was reportedly the architect of Hinckley's successful defense in which he was found not guilty by reason of insanity, even though reports by the federal prosecution found Hinckley sane. As a partner in the high-powered Washington, D.C., law firm of Williams & Connolly, Craig represented former Bolivian Defense Minister Carlos Sanchez-Berzain in a federal lawsuit of "crimes against humanity" due to his alleged role in the suppression of labor union riots in 2003 that resulted in the deaths of 67 people. (more)

By Ohigginis Arcia for the Panama America - Transparency International questioned the "lax" treatment given by the press in Panama on the story of a contract in the Dominican Republic tied to President Martin Torrijos. Angelica Maytín Justianiani, of TI, said that during the past administration the Panamanian press looked among the generators of opinion to hear their points of view regarding scandals such as the sinking of HP-1430, the purchase of the house in Punta Mala, among others. Nevertheless, in the case of the consultancy in the Dominican Republic there was no major reaction. "We recognize that some of the press commented or made some reports but that's as far as it went, which is why from our point of view the treatment granted to the subject was lax," she said.

By Ereida Prieto-Barreiro for the Panama America - Workers are preparing the scene. The presidential candidates from the Panameñista political party will hold a debate tonight as part of the lead-in to a party primary to be held in July. Marco Ameglio, Alberto Vallarino and Juan Carlos Varela will speak today before more than 600 students from the Universidad Latina. The Forum, supported by RPC Radio, Panamá América, Eco TV and the Universidad Latina, will be broadcast live from 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm. The Director of the Institute for the Consolidation of Democracy of the Universidad Latina, Yahir Leis, said the forum will contribute so that the proposals of the politicians who aspire to govern the country can be compared. He emphasized the forum will be felt at the national level, because they have connections with regional centers so that professors, students, and the public can analyze the work plans of the candidates. "This will be the window through which on this occasion the young people can compare the proposals of the Panameñistas and later those of the other candidates," he said. In addition, professors and the general public will also be able to participate by sending their questions via the Internet during the live transmission of the program. Each politician will have 10 minutes to answer each question. This debate will cover the subjects most worrisome to Panamanians. During preparations yesterday, the head of campaign of Marco Ameglio was the only one who arrived at the practice scheduled for the politicians in the auditorium of the Universidad Latina.

By Jake Tapper for ABC News - With all the back-and-forth about possible conflicts of interest amidst the various lobbyists being purged from Sen. John McCain's Straight Talk Express the controversial client of a top campaign adviser to Sen. Barack Obama is getting renewed attention. Greg Craig, a senior foreign policy adviser to Obama, is a partner at the big-shot DC law firm Williams & Connolly. There Craig represents Pedro Miguel González. González is president of the Panamanian Legislature and is also under indictment in the U.S. for murdering U.S. Army Sgt. Zak Hernández in 1992. There's a big difference between a lobbyist, who is paid to interact with lawmakers such as Mr. Obama, and a lawyer, who works with the courts. But in this situation, González's indictment has complicated passage of the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement. So there is legislative relevance. (more)

By Carlos Estrada Aguilar for La Critica - Opposition political leader Ricardo Martinelli officially launched his presidential campaign yesterday, questioning the haphazard manner in which the PRD has governed the past four years in areas of education, security, and transportation. " I will be a president that will govern for the Panamanians, and it won't matter if they are from the government or the opposition, and not for a spiral of friends," he said. Martinelli said Panama is living through a moment of economic history, which is why the next president should be a generator of jobs and one who knows the economy like he does, and not a career politician like his adversaries. "The growth is not getting to the bases of the PRD, nor of the opposition, and it is not arriving in the pockets of Panamanians who do not have political connections, because the riches are staying in the cupola of the governing party," he said. He said his proposal looks to break the continuation of the PRD. "This Government has stood by and watched, seeing the increases in the cost of electricity, and as the costs of living reaching the highest levels in the past 40 years, while they play political games with the theme of basic food items, and as usual, the best for them and the rest for the people," he said. Martinelli warned alerted that if Panamanians choose wrongly at the ballot boxes during the next national election on 3 May 2009, Panama is in danger of giving the Presidency to a radical like Hugo Chavez. "I want an alliance with those from below, with those who fight and with those who want a better life for their children," he said. PROPOSALS TO AVOID Traffic Jams - Some of his proposals to reduce vehicular congestion are to stagger work schedules to avoid traffic jams during rush hour, to eliminate taxes on diesel fuel and to reduce the tax on gas up to 50%, to connect the Northern and Southern Corridors, to connect the new Coastal Road with the Bridge of the Americas, to increase nocturnal police patrols in dangerous areas, to renegotiate the contracts with the operators of the Northern and Southern Corridors to reduce their costs, among others. (Photo Credit: Jorge Silot / EPASA)