Panama politics: not pretty

WHAT? President Ricardo Martinelli last month fired Vice president Juan Carlos Varela.

WHY? In exchange for helping him win the presidency, Martinelli promised to help Varela become president in 2014. Now, Martinelli wants to run for re election.

NEXT? Martinelli thinks that only he can save the country, even though the constitution says he can't run again. Varela is now is a political enemy. Panama wants to become a global logistics center. Political disruption won’t help.

For more information, please contact Esteban Alvarez at ealvarez@cidgallup.com