Page 30 - Anatomy-of-a-Fraud

C. “He’s not a member of the PRD, much less a Torrijista”
Roderick Esquivel referring to Barletta on the occasion of the creation of the
National Democratic Union (UNADE).

There was no longer any doubt that Barletta was the “man”. All that remained
was to forge a coalition and pick the vice presidents who would round out the official
ticket. The coalition was essential; without allies, the PRD had no chance of success.
The parties that eventually came together in the coalition had no coherent ideology or
strong democratic convictions. They were held in place by the ambition of power and
the knowledge that they had the support of the military.

Thus, on February 7, at the Punta Paitilla Holiday Inn, Berta Torrijos de
Arosemena, PRD Chairperson, held a news conference to announce the signing of an
agreement whereby her party and the Labor (PALA), Liberal and Republican Parties
backed Barletta’s candidacy for president of the republic.

The Wide Popular Front (FRAMPO) and the Panameñista Party would soon
join these four parties and, together, they would establish the National Democratic
Union (UNADE). Eric Arturo del Valle, Republican Party Chairman, and Roderick
Esquivel, Liberal Party Chairman, were nominated as first and second vice presidents,
respectively.

How much did the Defense Forces influence the establishment of the pro-
government alliance? A great deal, as we shall presently see.

During the days prior to February 7, members of the General Staff held a series
of meetings with leading government and even opposition politicians, clearly stating
the General Staff’s support of Barletta’s candidacy. Moreover –and this is perhaps an
even more serious violation of Article 269 of the National Constitution– General Staff
members flatly vetoed Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid as a candidate for president to the
republic, arrogating to themselves the right of all Panamanian citizens to elect their
own leaders.

It is appropriate to digress briefly at this point and narrate some of the
constitutional changes that took place in Panama in May 1983.

Article 2 of the 1972 Constitution in fact granted the National Guard the right
to Control the country’s political life. It provided that: “Public power is vested in the
people; it is exercised by the Government through the distribution of the functions
performed by its Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, acting in harmonious
cooperation with one another and with the Public Forces”. (Our emphasis). When the
Constitution was amended, this article was modified and the reference to the Public
Forces was dropped. At the same time, Article 269 was added, which explicitly
establishes that: “… The National Guard shall under no circumstances intervene in
partisan politics, except voting”. Therefore, the Defense Forces were constitutionally