List of heads of state of Panama

(Redirected from President of Panama)

This article lists the heads of state of Panama since the short-lived first independence from the Republic of New Granada in 1840 and the final separation from Colombia in 1903.

President of the Republic of Panama
Presidente de la República de Panamá
Presidential standard
Coat of arms of Panama
Incumbent
Laurentino Cortizo
since 1 July 2019
ResidencePalacio de las Garzas, Panama City
Term lengthFive years, renewable once non-consecutively
PrecursorMartín Torrijos
Inaugural holderManuel Amador Guerrero
Formation20 February 1904
DeputyVice President of Panama
Salary7,000 USD per month[1]
WebsitePresidencia de la República

Free State of the Isthmus (1840–1841)

No.PortraitPresident
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeNotes
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Juan López
(1823–1874)
18 November 184020 March 1841122 daysSuperior Civil Chief
2 Tomás de Herrera
(1804–1854)
20 March 18418 June 184180 daysSuperior Chief of State
(2)8 June 184131 December 1841206 daysPresident

Republic of Panama (1903–present)

President of the Municipal Council of Panama and de facto President (1903)

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical Party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
3 Demetrio H. Brid
(1859–1917)
3 November 19034 November 19031 dayConservative Party

Members of the Provisional Government Junta (1903–1904)

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical Party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
4 José Agustín Arango
(1841–1909)
4 November 190320 February 1904108 daysNational Liberal Party
5 Tomás Arias
(1856–1932)
Independent
6 Federico Boyd
(1851–1924)
National Liberal Party
7 Manuel Espinosa Batista
(1857–1919)
9 November 19037 December 190328 daysNational Liberal Party

Presidents of Panama (1904–present)

No.PortraitPresident
(Birth–Death)
ElectedTerm of officePolitical PartyNotes
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Manuel Amador Guerrero
(1833–1909)
190420 February 190423 June 1907[2]3 years, 123 daysConservative Party
2 José Domingo de Obaldía
(1845–1910)
24 June 1907[2]27 December 1907[2]186 daysNational Liberal Party
(1) Manuel Amador Guerrero
(1833–1909)
29 December 1907[2]1 October 1908277 daysConservative Party
(2) José Domingo de Obaldía
(1845–1910)
19081 October 19081 March 19101 year, 151 daysNational Liberal PartyDied in office.
Carlos Antonio Mendoza
(1856–1916)
1 March 19101 October 1910214 daysNational Liberal PartyActing President.
Federico Boyd
(1851–1924)
1 October 19105 October 19104 daysNational Liberal PartyActing President.
Pablo Arosemena
(1836–1920)
5 October 19101 October 19121 year, 362 daysNational Liberal PartyActing President.
3 Belisario Porras Barahona
(1856–1942)
19121 October 19121 October 19164 yearsNational Liberal PartyFirst tenure.
4 Ramón Maximiliano Valdés
(1867–1918)
19161 October 19163 June 19181 year, 245 daysNational Liberal PartyDied in office.
Ciro Luis Urriola
(1863–1922)
3 June 19181 October 1918120 daysNational Liberal PartyActing President.
Pedro Antonio Díaz
(1852–1919)
1 October 191812 October 191811 daysConservative PartyActing President.
(3) Belisario Porras Barahona
(1856–1942)
191812 October 191830 January 19201 year, 110 daysNational Liberal PartySecond tenure.
Ernesto Tisdel Lefevre
(1876–1922)
30 January 19201 October 1920245 daysNational Liberal PartyActing President.
(3) Belisario Porras Barahona
(1856–1942)
19201 October 19201 October 19244 yearsNational Liberal PartyThird tenure.
5 Rodolfo Chiari
(1869–1937)
19241 October 19241 October 19284 yearsNational Liberal Party
6 Florencio Harmodio Arosemena
(1872–1945)
19281 October 19283 January 19312 years, 94 daysNational Liberal PartyDeposed in a coup d'état.
Harmodio Arias Madrid
(1886–1963)
3 January 193116 January 193113 daysIndependentActing President.
7 Ricardo Joaquín Alfaro Jované
(1882–1971)
16 January 19315 June 19321 year, 141 daysNational Liberal Party
8 Harmodio Arias Madrid
(1886–1963)
19325 June 19321 October 19364 years, 118 daysNational Revolutionary Party
9 Juan Demóstenes Arosemena
(1879–1939)
19361 October 193616 December 19393 years, 76 daysNational Liberal PartyDied in office.
Ezequiel Fernández
(1886–1946)
16 December 193918 December 19392 daysNational Revolutionary PartyActing President.
Augusto Samuel Boyd
(1879–1957)
18 December 19391 October 1940288 daysNational Revolutionary PartyActing President.
10 Arnulfo Arias
(1901–1988)
19401 October 19409 October 19411 year, 8 daysNational Revolutionary PartyFirst tenure.
Deposed in a coup d'état.
11 Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango
(1899–1969)
9 October 194115 June 19453 years, 249 daysIndependent
Enrique Adolfo Jiménez
(1888–1970)
194515 June 19457 August 19483 years, 53 daysNational Liberal PartyProvisional President.
12 Domingo Díaz Arosemena
(1875–1949)
19487 August 194828 July 1949355 daysNational Liberal PartyResigned after a heart attack, and died less than a month later.
13 Daniel Chanis Pinzón
(1892–1961)
28 July 194920 November 1949115 daysNational Liberal Party
14 Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
(1905–1981)
20 November 194924 November 19494 daysNational Liberal PartyFirst tenure.
(10) Arnulfo Arias
(1901–1988)
24 November 19499 May 19511 year, 166 daysPanameñista PartySecond tenure.
15 Alcibíades Arosemena
(1883–1958)
9 May 19511 October 19521 year, 145 daysAuthentic Revolutionary Party
16 José Antonio Remón Cantera
(1908–1955)
19521 October 19522 January 19552 years, 93 daysNational Patriotic CoalitionAssassinated.
17 José Ramón Guizado
(1899–1964)
2 January 195529 March 195586 daysNational Patriotic Coalition
18 Ricardo Arias
(1912–1993)
29 March 19551 October 19561 year, 186 daysNational Patriotic Coalition
19 Ernesto de la Guardia
(1904–1983)
19561 October 19561 October 19604 yearsNational Patriotic Coalition
(14) Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
(1905–1981)
19601 October 196017 March 19632 years, 167 daysNational Liberal PartySecond tenure.
Bernardino González Ruiz
(1911–2012)
17 March 196323 March 19636 daysDemocratic Action PartyActing president.
(14) Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
(1905–1981)
23 March 19631 October 19641 year, 192 daysNational Liberal PartySecond tenure.
20 Marco Aurelio Robles
(1908–1990)
19641 October 19641 October 19684 yearsNational Liberal Party
(10) Arnulfo Arias
(1901–1988)
19681 October 196811 October 196810 daysPanameñista PartyThird tenure.
Deposed in a coup d'état.
José María Pinilla Fábrega
(1919–1979)
12 October 196818 December 19691 year, 67 daysMilitary
(National Guard)
Chairman of the Provisional Junta.
21 Colonel
Bolívar Urrutia Parrilla
(1918–2005)
Military
(National Guard)
President.
Demetrio B. Lakas
(1925–1999)
19 December 196911 October 19722 years, 297 daysIndependentChairman of the Provisional Junta to 11 October 1972.
22197211 October 197211 October 19786 years
23 Aristides Royo
(born 1940)
197811 October 197831 July 19823 years, 293 daysDemocratic Revolutionary Party
24 Ricardo de la Espriella
(born 1934)
31 July 198213 February 19841 year, 197 daysDemocratic Revolutionary Party
25 Jorge Illueca
(1918–2012)
13 February 198411 October 1984241 daysIndependent
26 Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino
(born 1938)
198411 October 198428 September 1985352 daysDemocratic Revolutionary Party
Eric Arturo Delvalle
(1937–2015)
28 September 198526 February 19882 years, 151 daysRepublican PartyActing President.
Manuel Solís Palma
(1917–2009)
26 February 19881 September 19891 year, 187 daysDemocratic Revolutionary PartyActing President.
Francisco Rodríguez
(born 1938)
1 September 198920 December 1989110 daysDemocratic Revolutionary PartyProvisional President.
Served at the time of the 1989 coup attempt.
Deposed in the US invasion.
27 Guillermo Endara
(1936–2009)
198920 December 19891 September 19944 years, 255 daysPanameñista Party
28 Ernesto Pérez Balladares
(born 1946)
19941 September 19941 September 19995 yearsDemocratic Revolutionary Party
29 Mireya Moscoso
(born 1946)
19991 September 19991 September 20045 yearsPanameñista PartyWidow of Arnulfo Arias.
30 Martín Torrijos
(born 1963)
20041 September 20041 July 20094 years, 303 daysDemocratic Revolutionary PartySon of Omar Torrijos.
31 Ricardo Martinelli
(born 1952)
20091 July 20091 July 20145 yearsDemocratic Change
32 Juan Carlos Varela
(born 1963)
20141 July 20141 July 20195 yearsPanameñista Party
33 Laurentino Cortizo
(born 1953)
20191 July 2019Incumbent
(Term ends on 1 July 2024)
4 years, 301 daysDemocratic Revolutionary Party

Military leaders of Panama (1968–1989)

From 1968 to 1989 a military junta exerted actual control over the country and nominated the president, who himself held little power. The following individuals were leaders of the junta.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeMilitary affiliationNotes
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Brigadier-General
Omar Torrijos
(1929–1981)
11 October 196831 July 198112 years, 293 daysNational GuardAssumed power in the 1968 coup d'état.
Styled as Maximum Leader of the Panamanian Revolution from 11 October 1968.
Killed in an air crash.
2 Colonel
Rubén Darío Paredes
(born 1933)
3 March 198212 August 19831 year, 162 daysNational Guard
3 General
Manuel Noriega
(1934–2017)
12 August 198320 December 19896 years, 130 daysNational GuardStyled as Maximum Leader of the National Liberation from 15 December 1989.
Deposed in the US invasion.
Panama Defense Forces
(from 29 September 1983.)

Timeline

Laurentino CortizoJuan Carlos VarelaRicardo MartinelliMartín TorrijosMireya MoscosoErnesto Pérez BalladaresGuillermo EndaraFrancisco RodríguezManuel Solís PalmaEric Arturo DelvalleNicolás Ardito Barletta VallarinoJorge IlluecaManuel NoriegaRicardo de la EspriellaRubén Darío ParedesAristides RoyoDemetrio B. LakasOmar TorrijosBolívar Urrutia ParrillaJosé María Pinilla FábregaMarco Aurelio RoblesBernardino González RuizErnesto de la GuardiaRicardo AriasJosé Ramón GuizadoJosé Antonio Remón CanteraAlcibíades ArosemenaRoberto Francisco Chiari RemónDaniel Chanis PinzónDomingo Díaz ArosemenaEnrique Adolfo JiménezRicardo Adolfo de la Guardia ArangoArnulfo AriasAugusto Samuel BoydEzequiel FernándezJuan Demóstenes ArosemenaRicardo Joaquín Alfaro JovanéHarmodio Arias MadridFlorencio Harmodio ArosemenaRodolfo ChiariErnesto Tisdel LefevrePedro Antonio DíazCiro Luis UrriolaRamón Maximiliano ValdésBelisario Porras BarahonaPablo ArosemenaCarlos Antonio MendozaJosé Domingo de ObaldíaManuel Amador GuerreroManuel Espinosa BatistaFederico BoydTomás AriasJosé Agustín ArangoDemetrio H. Brid

Latest election

CandidatePartyVotes%
Laurentino CortizoDemocratic Revolutionary Party655,30233.35
Rómulo RouxDemocratic Change609,00331.00
Ricardo LombanaIndependent368,96218.78
José BlandónPanameñista Party212,93110.84
Ana Matilde GómezIndependent93,6314.77
Saúl MéndezBroad Front for Democracy13,5400.69
Marco AmeglioIndependent11,4080.58
Total1,964,777100.00
Valid votes1,964,77797.58
Invalid/blank votes48,6562.42
Total votes2,013,433100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,757,82373.01
Source: Election Tribunal

See also

References