Dictator's Son Elected Panama President

[PfcHammer]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040503/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/panama_elections_7

Dictator's Son Elected Panama President
44 minutes ago

By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer

PANAMA CITY, Panama - Martin Torrijos, the son of a former dictator, on Sunday won the nation's first presidential vote since the handover of the Panama Canal and withdrawal of U.S. troops in December 1999.

Ex-president Guillermo Endara, his main rival, conceded defeat to Torrijos, whose father, Gen. Omar Torrijos, ruled Panama from 1968 until his death in 1981.

During the campaign, the candidates — both heavily linked to Panama's troubled history — had vowed not to revive its authoritarian past. Still, Torrijos said in his victory speech: "If my father were here, he would be proud of what we accomplished today."

"I invite everyone to join in a new social pact against poverty, corruption and despair," he continued. "It will be a social pact of solidarity, social justice, opportunity and prosperity."

<chop>

[still_one]

1. You fooled me, I thought you were talking about George Bush

[bemildred]

2. Another hereditary democracy. nt

[tritsofme]

3. I know the feeling... nt

[xchrom]

4. deja vue

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Omar Torrijos, as far as dictators go, was a benevolent leader to the poor

He did the most social programs for the poor, though it would never be enough. Their high rise housing, though painted gayly from the outside turned into slum apartments. Yet, what he did for them was by far better than any leader before him, or after.

[David__77]

6. This is great news! Endara was a puppet.

Torrijos was a progressive nationalist--much better than anything that came after him. Endara was the flunkey dictator installed by the US occupation after they invaded and overthrew their agent Noriega.