Presidential elections Panama

Panama has a new president!


Varela's the new man for the job and his campaign colour is purple... that's about all I know about him. He used be is the same party as the previous president but left to join a different party.

I'm not really into politics but I think there's a thing or two election candidates in Ireland can learn from the Panamanian Presidential candidates.

For starters, they throw great parties! What better way to convince young people to get out there and vote? In the months, not to mind weeks leading up to the elections every weekend it seemed like there would be a presidential candidate party somewhere, with great music too!

There's a serious amount of paraphernalia too, flags all over town, brightening the place up. Since Carnavales I've a Varela bandana and Siobhán has a Varela water bottle. I've also got a Jose Domingo (another candidate) sun hat and we had a frisbee too but that's long been lost!

The campaign starts well in advance of voting day too (a Sunday), something I think we'd all get sick of in Ireland, imagine looking at posters of their faces for like four months? Fun...

Surprisingly, it's illegal to buy alcohol in a bar, restaurant or shop the day before and day of elections in case the voters should make the wrong decision while under the influence, we thought that was a bit extreme, but given the Panamanians possible drink more than even the Irish maybe it's warranted!?

Despite the fact we've been here for all of 'election fever' I still don't understand why some posters tell you to vote for someone as your seventh choice? Should they not all want your first choice?!

The main thing Panamanians are hoping the new president can do is reduce the cost of food, which has increased over the past year and been a failing of the previous president, hopefully this one will be able to do better and keep the people happy, but is it really possible to lower the cost of food? It seems the only way is up!

Also, my Facebook is very intelligent, I was getting ads for the presidential hopefuls prior to the elections, very savvy!

Siobhán's Varela water bottle

My Varela bandana