The region known as the 'flaquito' of the south has a new president, who has made his presence felt from day one. Hopefully, he will move away from the political pendulum and work towards the reconciliation and unity of the people, who ultimately suffer, no matter who is in power.
Returning to Panama, with our traditional 'folklore,' we see proposed laws that a majority wants to be approved, but those are not as important as proposing others that are almost personalized. Our neighbors are immersed in elections where most polls show similar results, leading to a runoff that could completely change the outcome. Many are convinced they walk on clouds above those who voted for them and must enjoy privileges that the rest of us mortals don't have, as if we haven't learned the lesson of who to vote for.
In the same building, the next Public Defender must be chosen, issues related to freedom of expression must be addressed, the unification of the country's health system into one must be considered, and many other things that these so-called fathers of the nation should focus on. Panama deserves much more than what a portion of these deputies wants to give us.
Until the announcement of the gasoline price increase brought us back to earth. That is to say, it is costing billions of dollars, at least. Meanwhile, on our continent, we see endless lines at most major airports in the United States of America, the largest of the Antilles in a total blackout; in Venezuela, the same government, with the same people, but now, supposedly, the wolf has become a tame sheep.
And many of us have our eyes open to see how the Electoral Code reforms turn out, which must arrive at the house of Justo Arosemena very soon. Unfortunately, the reforms to the Assembly's internal regulation sleep the eternal sleep, despite the fact that most deputies know it is a clamor from those who elected them.
National and international investment must be encouraged; only then can we get out of this spiral of unemployment in which they have us trapped. Panama is worth it, what are we waiting for?
The author is a civic leader and political analyst.
However, for Panamanians, the recent announcements of the gasoline price increase, as if they pulled us out of the cloud in which some love to live. While we see reports of bombings, deaths, and attacks on basic infrastructure such as schools, military bases, refineries, and oil wells, some enjoyed a horseback ride in the west of the country, went shopping in the capital, or enjoyed the radiant sun of the beaches.
In the last week, so many things have happened around the world that we don't even know where to start evaluating what is happening and what is coming our way. For our part of the American continent, until a couple of days ago, if it weren't for the news we see in the media, we could say we were living our lives, quite far from daily events.
On Thursday, we witnessed endless lines at gas stations across the country, and some people even started to 'prepare for what's to come.' I think the prudence of some European and Asian leaders made the war in the Middle East begin to be seen from another prism and not have become a new world war, as many feared.
We must professionalize public service, but with the most capable, not with those who walked alongside today's deputies. Is anyone still remembering that there are several other armed conflicts, the ones that were supposed to end last January, and others that have arisen 'over there'? But the one that started a few weeks ago and supposedly wouldn't last long has already caused a significant drop in stock exchanges in several parts, a considerable rise in fuel prices, a shortage of fertilizers, and several other details that will emerge as the war drags on.
