Democratic Revolutionary Party

Not to be confused with Mexico's Partido de la Revolución Democrática.

Democratic Revolutionary Party Partido Revolucionario Democrático
President	Francisco Sánchez Cárdenas
Secretary-General	Mitchell Doens
Founded	March 11, 1979 (1979-03-11)
Headquarters	Azteca Building, Mexico Avenue, Panama City, Panama
Ideology	Social democracy
International affiliation	Socialist International
Official colours	Blue, red, white
Website
[1]
Politics of Panama Political parties Elections

The Democratic Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido Revolucionario Democrático, or PRD) is a Panamanian political party. It was founded in 1979 by the General Omar Torrijos, and is generally described as a party of the centre-left of the political spectrum.

History and creation

Since its creation have had strong ties with the military regime that ruled Panama since the military coup of 1968. Most of the members were people identified by his social policy, and the Canal Treaties legacy signed a few years before his death. The political pressure made by Torrijos Nationwide and Worldwide to the United States, were viewed as Nationalist and is listed as one of the greatest leaders Panama has ever had, along with Arnulfo Arias Madrid(although he was taken from office three times).

With the signature of the Canal Treaties, Torrijos compromised to return Panama to democracy. In order to do so he involved into a new political system by creating a new political party and ran as a presidential candidate in the coming elections of 1984 facing Arnulfo Arias.

With the death of General Omar Torrijos, the military coup ruling the country fell into a crisis for power. After his unclear death, two Generals resigned before Manuel Antonio Noriega became General. The political scenario changed drastically, and Noriega began to persecute politicians who were against him by showing his supremacy ruling the country by putting the military against the people.

Torrijos support the Sandinista in 1977 by sending Panamanian Military Troops and support to combat Somoza´s Armed Forces, and other political, and medical aid. One of the most important political leaders who fought, were the Medical Doctor Hugo Spadafora (who were Minister of Health under the Torrijos rule). Spadafora told Torrijos once that Noriega was working for the CIA that they had a plot against him.

The Sandinistas won the war in Nicaragua, but few months later Somoza suffer a blast attack. Torrijos told to one of the cabinet ministers that this attack will cost him his life.

The situation in the country was deteriorated and unclear under the Noriega´s rule. Too many political mistakes at the same time made by Noriga, and the US pressure made by the Almirant John Poindexter to use the Panamanian territory to fight against the Sandinistas got worst with his clear No, the Noriega´s reason was "They are our friends", and the assassination of Spadafora in 1985 generates the beginning of the political turmoil that ended in 1989 with the US led invasion.

The PRD were manipulated by Noriega, there were many secretaries of the party, the most famous Ramito Vasquez Chambonet at the beginning, and Darinel Espino the end of this period. Also Noriega name presidents, ministries, legislators and other government positions loyalist to him. This creates a very deep crisis inside this Party, that didn´t have inner democracy until the reforms after the US invasion.

Since democracy was restored in 1990, the PRD politicians restructure the Party, by being more participative to their members, and setting primaries for the first time, to select their representatives for each government positions. It was the first Party in Panama who did this restructuration, at the level to be viewed as the most organizational and biggest political party in the country.

This restructuring was led by Ernesto Perez Balladares, Francisco Sanchez, Mitchell Doens, Tomas G. Duque, and Gerardo Gonzalez. In 1991 part of this staff met Arias Calderon (Vice President of Panama) to make clear their interest in make a political opposition and not a military.

In 1993 the PRD presidential race was between Ernesto Perez Balladares and Alfredo Oranges, the result was 66% to 33%. Perez Balladares won the elections against Mireya Moscoso in 1994, and the legislative with majority of PRD.

The PRD lost the elections in 1999, differences between Perez Balladares and Martin Torrijos (Presidential Candidate) who also beat Oranges in the inner presidential race, made an unclear political offer for this election that end with Mireya Moscoso elected president, and the PRD controlling the assembly.

The shift, Once the elections finished, the Committee led by Perez Balladares resign and Martin Torrijos was elected as Secretary. This period under the Martin Torrijos´ Leadership were managed by "youngers" that improve well. The political mistakes made by the Moscoso´s government open an easy path to Torrijos who won easily the presidential race in 2004.

In the 2004 general election, Martín Torrijos won the presidency with 47.4 percent of the vote, running as the candidate for the Patria Nueva ("New Fatherland") electoral alliance between the PRD and the smaller People's Party (PP). In the same election the party won 37.8 percent of the popular vote and 41 out of 78 seats in the National Assembly of Panama.

Primaries in 2008 were won by Balbina Herrera (Party President Member) facing Juan Carlos Navarro. The differences between Herrera and Navarro were so deep that end with not unified party, once again made the PRD to lost the Presidential race led by Balbina Herrera in 2009.

The Committee resign in October 2009 and a new committee is elected last October 18. The elections ended with the result as:

President Francisco Sanchez Cardenas and Secretary Mitchell Doens