Panamanians will be electing this next Sunday who will be the next government running the destiny of the country for the next 5 years. Also there will be elected the mayors of all the districts in the countries, the diputados (senators), the representantes de corregimientos (local corregimientos representative).
Each of the three candidates have good things and bad things on their backs. The preference of the Panamanians will be divided on those three. The other two leftist candidates looks like they have not chance of winning in this country yet. The presidential candidate who wins this elections will only have 1/3 of the total population acceptance. It means he could have a very difficult or tough mandate, specially if our Asamblea (senate) is dominated by the opposition parties. People will and should elect what they considered the best option. It is their choice. Some people might think they could be right or wrong by choosing any candidate but people should respect others people choice. We have the right to be wrong in our preference.
Panama is a very special country with its own idiosincracy, characteristics and folklore. There are a lot of bochinches, gossips, tales of the personal life and professional life of every candidate that makes people laugh because they become part of the spice of the elections in Panama. I always say that Panama is the only country where square balls can roll. We will hear a lot of rumours of bad things about all the candidates every day. At the end this government has set the parameters of what we should expect from the new government at power. Some people says that only the actual government party will be the only one capable to continue with the country's growth and projects. I don't think so and much people too. The new government will be measured and compared with the actual one regarding projects needed in the country. There is a new standard set and we will make it clear to the new government for sure.
The electoral process is always heated in Panama. Some passions exacerbate by people defending their candidates and disqualifying the opposite candidates. But a couple of weeks after May 4 everything go normal. Panamanians go back to work just expecting the new government really comply with all the good and wonderful promises they made in campaign. We want to work, we want a country with good healthcare, cheap, healthy and good food, good education for our children, water in our houses all day, cheap electric energy, good and cheap transportation services and security in our houses and our streets and of course be a happy people enjoying our celebrations and parties.
I think we have learned a lot as a country. People are different and will ask their government for more. Will claim to fulfill for all the promises made. There are still a lot to do, a lot to fix, a lot to improve .... but even so it is a country loved by all the Panamanians and it is the place we chose to live, raise our children and die and wont change it for any other place. Even with imperfections. It is like a family member. You will love your son, nephew, aunts, brothers....no matter how good or bad they are... they are your blood, your family.
Next sunday will be a nice and quiet (boring) day. So relax, watch how people in Panama use their most important right... to vote for their rulers and see if the new government elected will fulfill all their promises and protest if they didn't. You may not be citizens of Panama with voting rights but... you are resident here with rights and the government should provide to all of us living in Panama good things.
Roger
Replies
Hi B & A:
This political campaign has been very interesting and funny to watch. It has been a comic and sometimes bad taste NOVELA. The race for power brings to the light not so good things of the participants or candidates and the methods they use to get the power. But as Niccolo Machiavelli said: " the goals justify the means." some politicians use dirty methods to disqualify their oponents.
When all this boiling atmosphere ends everything will return to normal and people will continue working. We will be watching our new government and will claim all the promises they made in campaign and will claim for better things for our country and its people.
Roger, after talking to some 'ordinary' working class people in the Capital this week and also in Chiriqui, I have a feeling there is quite a last minute surge by Varela. Do you sense that at all? He is certainly a better public speaker and more polished than Arias, in my opinion, but his record is tarnished.
Keith
It is very hard to find what is the real trend. Depending where you land you will find different arguments and preferences. Seems like Jose Domingo Arias is in the lead still. The second position is very tight. Supporters of Varela say Varela will be the second option and supporters of Navarro claim the same. I think we will know the results next Monday.
For me it is unclear what is the real position of the two other candidates.
As always Roger, I appreciate your words on the ways of life and government in Panama.
Two weeks ago, I was with a Gringa friend who got a little upset with me when I asked a Panamanian who they supported in the coming election - she said "don't discuss politics!"
However, I was just curious about people's opinions, and had neither the intention - nor the knowledge - to enter into a "discussion".
David
When I was in High School I learned a greek word coined by Aristotle: zoon politikon. This means that humans: men and women are "political animals". We must not be in active political participation but politics will affect our life and way of living. Some people avoid talking about politics but it is something that will affect all the members of that society.
Looking for information about the candidates and political trends and preference of the citizens is something normal that a person should and could do without any problem. I hear opinions about preferences and listen carefully to their explanations without any intention of criticizing his personal choice and engaging into a discussion. So it was ok to hear and listen who people will be supporting and why. You are resident in this country and whoever is appointed in the government will affect our future life in the country.
Thanks for that Roger, and enjoy your opportunity to voice your opinions through your votes.
What we say in Panama City is... take everything politicians give you during their campaigns. If they give you food... take it. If they give you tank of gas.... take it. If they give you money.... take it. But on sunday vote for the one you really want to and the one you consider is the best for the country or community.
Thank you as usual Roger. I have been watching the process and truly believe it is more democratic here than what I saw for many more years in the USA. People have voice here and have no problem expressing themselves. Regardless of the victor the people of Panama will gain something from the promises, if fulfilled.
My only concern comes from the promised "emergency control of food prices". This one promise can doom the country. It does not work, never can work and has failed in very country it has been attempted. It is however an attractive lure.
Lee:
As you have said. It is a promise that is an attractive lure for voters.... but I really doubt it could be a promise totally fulfilled. The candidate that promised it will find that he will encounter a lot of reasons why not this control won't be feasible. So as the dust of the elections campaign settle the reason will come to some politicians and we will see that not all of the promises made by politicians are real and could be done.
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