Two years have gone by since his electoral triumph in May 2014, and President Juan Carlos Varela seems to be distancing himself from his campaign promises. At least 20 of the campaign promises that appeared in his electoral manifesto “The People First” have seen little or no material progress to date.
Indeed, President Varela seems to have given up on some key promises: the reduction in the cost of the basic foodstuff that would add up to a saving of $58 a month for ordinary Panamanians; the set- up of a constituent assembly; greater transparency across government and greater security on the streets; as well as drinkable water for all Panamanians, amongst others.
The president’s inability to keep his promises has resulted in a marked fall in his popularity.
According to the latest polls, two years into his mandate, President Varela is one of the least popular heads of state since the re-establishment of democracy in 1990.
Critics of the current government point out how Panamanians now spend more in supermarkets and stores than they used to do two years ago. This, in spite of a marked fall in the price of oil, and against a backdrop of government-introduced price controls. According to market studies, the president’s failure to produce the promised $58 monthly savings would so far have cost each and every Panamanian citizen a cumulative $1256 since this government took power. In addition to this financial hit, ordinary Panamanians face further difficulties as economic growth has stalled and GDP growth is unlikely to reach the promised 6% level this year.
According to multiple sources, the economic slowdown is largely attributable to the government’s obsessive focus on the judicial persecution of political opponents at the expense of implementing measure aimed at fostering economic growth. In point 3.8 of his government execution plan, covering economic development, the President promised “to foster investments, support logistics and growth across the board and regardless of political colours, and with the utmost transparency”, citing the Panama Canal is an example of best-in-class management.
The reality has turned out to be rather different, though. Since taking power, the government has taken to persecuting political opponents, while guaranteeing impunity to political allies, in a clear infringement of yet another manifesto promise: that of “justice for all”. Examples of lack of transparency and downright corruption abound: they range from procurement contracts directly awarded to companies owned by the very directors of the institutions that award them; to the infamous worldwide scandal relating to disgraced law firm Mossack Fonseca, whose co-founding partner, Ramon Fonseca Mora, is a former ministerial adviser to President Varela.
Two years into his presidential term, all would seem to indicate that President Varela’s manifesto “The People First” may ultimately end up being just another slogan.
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