OP ED “JB”-

Sort of a dead time for me topic wise as nothing is particularly “juicy” to chime in on. Pretty much the opposite of an election year back home. Romelo Roux- whom “PNO” has lovingly monikered “Spock” for years now because, well,……………………….?  OK, having passed the obvious, it has to be at least mentioned that regardless of what I know, feel, or have heard about this man. It is clearly safe to say… HE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.  This will be the 3rd- Election Cycle for PANAMA I have covered where Roux is a legitamate candidate.

He ran a CLOSE race last time, only to once again fall short to CORTIZO. Yet here we are in 2024, and it indeed is “Spock” who seems to have his shit together for yet another run at the top spot. Sporting a tight white shirt, “man of the people jeans” and a sporty black pair of kicks, there he was acknowledging and showing appreciation for the announcement that “Free Nomination” voters, more commonly known as INDEPENDENTS, are throwing their support behind the Vulcan eared choice. This is obviously great news for the alien politician. It guarantees nothing, and is not a HUGE needle mover, it nonetheless exhibits that he is still a determined politician and no longer someone to be easily overlooked.

I stated last week, the removal of RICARDO from “Realizing Goals“, turns this wn a whole thing into a “Turkey Shoot”. MARTINELLI, if left to run, would win a REAGAN/MONDALE like landslide. People, that is just PANAMA. Period.  But with RICARDO probably digging tunnels at the moment, this year will be a circus show.

Once again, allow me to clarify the “PNO” position on PANAMA POLITICS. It is the strongest fish in a polluted tank that is LATAM. Not a “ringing” endorsement. YES, it is DEMOCRATIC. YES, it is GENERALLY STABLE. YES, the CANAL almost ASSURES it is SAFE. But behind the scenes it is an OLIGARCHY. Ever since the CARTER ADMINISTRATION gave 100% control over the CANAL operations to PANAMA, the tiny country was given the worlds largest ATM MACHINE. 

And outside of the MILITARY COUP that was NORIEGA, it has been run by the already ESTABLISHED “ELITE” of PANAMA. According to “World Meter” for 2023– PANAMA consists of 4.4 Million citizens. By comparison, my daughters “COUNTY” of DADE in Florida, is 2.8 Million. My point is that even 40 years after control of the Canal, PANAMA has much to figure out.

This is NOT FACT– but in my OPINION, PANAMA is essentially run by “maybe” 100 KEY people. It remains a place of “who you know“- “what can they do for you”, and “what can you do for them?”. EVERY President, ends their term with BILLIONS. I could write a laundry list of schemes, bribes, and payoff claims that date back to TORRIJOS. And as I mentioned, since they are ALL essentially in the “100”, once elected they USE their NEWLY ATTAINED MORAL HIGH GROUND, to “cannibalize” the previous administrations. ALL have “Dirt” on EVERBODY. Wasting Millions and tying up the courts in the process.

Which brings me back to “Spock“. When all the pins are knocked down, I am anxious to see just where our persistent alien friend will be standing?

Saludos-

“JB”