Former President Martín Torrijos (2004 – 2009) is among the favorites to apply again for the Presidency of Panama, already away from the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) founded by his father, the historic General Omar Torrijos, and sure that his father would have taken the same path.
Omar Torrijos “had the courage to achieve a transformation and I am sure that, a long time ago, he would have made the decision to opt for another political instrument that was based on the economic and social development of Panamanians and not for the benefit of those who today lead that party (PRD),” Torrijos, 60, said in an interview with EFE.
Torrijos, whom a recent poll by the newspaper La Prensa places in second place, equaled with Ricardo Lombana with 10.8% of voting intention, and both removed from the 26% of Raúl Mulino, substitute for the disabled former president Ricardo Martinelli, is now running as a presidential candidate with the minority Popular Party (PP).
Two decades ago Torrijos did rule with the PRD, which is now going through its worst crisis between indications of corruption and dissents within the formation.
“The party moved away from the principles and values with which it was established and ceased to be an option of social transformation towards the future,” says that PRD that 20 years ago brought him to power and from which it officially separated at the beginning of this year after launching into the political campaign.
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Openly “torrijista”, Martín Torrijos alleges that “there is no way” not to feel proud of “what he is”, the surname he bears and the legacy of his father, who led that Panamanian revolution that ruled de facto between 1968 and 1981, the year in which he died in a plane crash.
Despite the distance from the party, he hides behind his father’s ideology, “torrijismo”, that political thought created by the general in the middle of the socialist current of the twentieth century in Latin America but that was never “neither with the left nor with the right, but with Panama,” a phrase frequently used by Omar Torrijos.
“I was born and I will die torrijista. But I think that this election (separating from the PRD) is not about a political party but about solving the problems of the people,” says Torrijos, who also defends that “at the end of the day it is a form of government” and “goes beyond a party.”
“It is the force that allowed the Panamanians to regain their sovereignty, that the country would progress more equitably. That is not in a political party but in that will and ideology,” he says.
The Panama Canal, administered by Panamanian hands since 1999 after the Torrijos-Carter Treaties promoted by General Torrijos, which put an end to the control that the United States maintained since its inauguration in 1914, is going through an unprecedented water crisis due to the prolonged drought, which lowered the water levels of the main lakes and reduced the number of daily transits.
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This situation that drags the way, and for which there is still no long-term solution, could reduce toll revenues by 800 million dollars in this fiscal year, after in 2023 the Canal delivered to the Panamanian Government the historic annual amount of 2,544.59 million dollars.
Torrijos proposes to solve this problem to “expand the basin” of the Panama Canal, following the alternatives identified by the Canal such as the use of the Indian River, the neighboring basin to the west of the road.
“Unquestionably, that decision must be made to guarantee (also) access to water for human consumption and I have proposed that the administration of the Panama Canal assume the administration of water treatment plants, a new role for the Canal in terms of development,” adds Torrijos.
The two artificial lakes Lago Gatún and Alhajuela supply the road and serve for the consumption of drinking water of about 2.5 million inhabitants, out of 4 million in the country.
“There will be other roles that the Panama Canal does not have today that must be achieved (…) because it is not only a channel through which ships pass, but that brings development to the country,” says the candidate.
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That “new role” of the Panama Canal is included in its government plan, which suggests that the administration of the road is “the governing body of all port concessions and or pipelines, gas pipelines, logistics corridors and any other future concession that supports the development” of the country’s position.
“So that we can integrate, with criteria of efficiency and competitiveness, the promotion of the consolidated route of Panama, which takes us to our country in the most important, efficient and competitive ‘hub’ (center) of loading and distribution of all the Americas,” he explains.
Guatemala isolates Barrio 18 leader after attacks that killed 11 police
Guatemalan authorities have placed a leader of the Barrio 18 gang in an isolated cell without الكهرباء or “privileges” after he was accused of triggering a recent wave of violence that left 11 police officers dead, the government said on Sunday.
Members of Barrio 18, which is designated as a “terrorist” organization by both the United States and Guatemala, carried out the killings on January 18 in retaliation for the government’s takeover of three prisons that had been under the control of inmates linked to the group.
In response to the attacks, President Bernardo Arévalo declared a month-long state of siege, arguing that gang members were seeking better conditions in prison or transfers to lower-security facilities.
In a message posted on X alongside photographs, Arévalo announced the isolation of Aldo Dupie, also known as “El Lobo,” one of the gang leaders who allegedly directed the uprisings.
Images released by the government show Dupie inside a small cell with narrow windows, built from metal containers, in a secured area of the Renovación I prison in southern Guatemala — the same facility where the hostage-taking riot took place.
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With a shaved head and a stern expression, the gang leader appears alone and in handcuffs, according to the photographs.
Guatemala’s prison system said the “new area,” protected by metal fencing and barbed wire, will house high-risk inmates who will remain without privileges or electricity.
Shakira ignites El Salvador with near sold-out residency at Mágico González Stadium
The recently renovated Jorge “Mágico” González Stadium is rolling out the red carpet for Colombian superstar Shakira, whose string of concerts has sold out almost entirely, confirming the powerful bond between the artist and Salvadoran fans.
The scale of the experience begins as soon as attendees arrive at the venue. Outside the stadium, organizers have installed several photo spots so concertgoers can capture a souvenir from the major event.
Fans attending the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour will witness a top-tier visual production, where technology and robotic lighting effects will shape an atmosphere that shifts dramatically from one segment of the show to another — moving from the intensity of ’90s rock to the festive explosion of urban pop.
Security and crowd management have been top priorities, with a coordinated operation aimed at ensuring smooth entry and exit, allowing spectators to focus solely on enjoying hits that have defined generations.
Beyond the music, the event marks a milestone for the country’s live-entertainment industry, positioning El Salvador as a destination capable of hosting artist residencies once reserved for cities such as Las Vegas or London.
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The excitement is already visible across the capital: hotels are at full capacity and local businesses are riding the wave of enthusiasm sparked by the latest songs from the Colombian star.
Salvadoran fans plan birthday surprise for Shakira at historic show
The president of Shakira’s Fan Club in El Salvador was interviewed by Diario El Salvador on Saturday as she made her way to her entrance gate at Jorge “Mágico” González Stadium, ahead of the historic concert the Colombian superstar is set to perform in the country.
Before the first of the five shows that make up Shakira’s Salvadoran residency, the fan leader revealed that supporters had prepared a special surprise for the singer, who turned 49 on February 2.
“Today I’m here around the stadium with the props we made for her celebration, with postcards and her songs. We also have kits ready to sing ‘happy birthday’ to our She Wolf,” she said.
She explained that the group used social media to ask fans seated in the Ultra Platinum and Platinum sections to find them and pick up birthday pennants, party headbands, balloons and whistles. The idea is to sing “happy birthday” while Shakira introduces her band, offering what they describe as a special Central American welcome.
“For me, she has been a megastar since the first time I saw her in 1996. I saw her again in 2006, here at the stadium. Last year we traveled to Colombia three times to see her, and today I’m beyond excited that she chose El Salvador,” the fan said.
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She added that visitors from across Central America and other countries have traveled for the concerts and will also have the opportunity to discover the country. “I’m very excited about everything she makes us feel,” she said.
