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President of the Republic of Panama
Coat of arms of Panama.svg
Coat of arms of Panama
Presidential Flag of Panama.svg
Presidential standard
Ceremonia de transmisión de mando de Panama (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
José Raúl Mulino

since 1 July 2024
Residence Palacio de las Garzas, Panama City
Term length Five years, renewable once non-consecutively
Precursor Laurentino Cortizo
Inaugural holder Manuel Amador Guerrero
Formation 20 February 1904
Deputy Vice President of Panama
Salary 7,000 USD per month
Website Presidencia de la República

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. Since 1904 the head of state of Panama has been the President of Panama.

List of officeholders

     Conservative Party (PC)     National Liberal Party (PLN)     Independent      National Revolutionary Party (PNR)→Panameñista Party (PP)      Authentic Revolutionary Party (PPA)      National Patriotic Coalition (CPN)     Military (National Guard) and (Panama Defense Forces)      Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)      Republican Party (PR)     Democratic Change (CD)      Realizing Goals (RM)      Denotes acting or provisional president

Symbols

Died in office

Free State of the Isthmus (1840–1841)

No. Portrait President
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Title
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Herrtoma.jpg Tomás de Herrera
(1804–1854)
20 March 1841 8 June 1841 80 days Superior Chief of State
(1) 8 June 1841 31 December 1841 206 days President

Republic of Panama (1903–present)

President of the Municipal Council of Panama and de facto President (1903)
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political Party
Took office Left office Time in office
3 Demetrio H. Brid.jpg Demetrio H. Brid
(1859–1917)
3 November 1903 4 November 1903 1 day PC
Members of the Provisional Government Junta (1903–1904)
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political Party
Took office Left office Time in office
4 Jose-Agustin-Arango.jpg José Agustín Arango
(1841–1909)
4 November 1903 20 February 1904 108 days PLN
5 Tomás Arias p319.jpg Tomás Arias
(1856–1932)
Independent
6 FBoyd4.jpg Federico Boyd
(1851–1924)
PLN
7 Manuel Espinosa Batista, prócer de Panamá.jpg Manuel Espinosa Batista
(1857–1919)
9 November 1903 7 December 1903 28 days PLN
Presidents of Panama (1904–present)
No. Portrait President
(Birth–Death)
Elected Term of office Political Party
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Portrait of Manuel Amador Guerrero.jpg Manuel Amador Guerrero
(1833–1909)
First tenure
1904 20 February 1904 23 June 1907 3 years, 123 days PC
2 Jose Domingo de Obaldía.jpg José Domingo de Obaldía
(1845–1910)
First tenure
24 June 1907 27 December 1907 186 days PLN
(1) Portrait of Manuel Amador Guerrero.jpg Manuel Amador Guerrero
(1833–1909)
Second tenure
29 December 1907 1 October 1908 277 days PC
(2) Jose Domingo de Obaldía.jpg José Domingo de Obaldía
(1845–1910)
Second tenure
1908 1 October 1908 1 March 1910 1 year, 151 days PLN
Carlos Antonio Mendoza.jpg Carlos Antonio Mendoza
(1856–1916)
Acting President
1 March 1910 1 October 1910 214 days PLN
FBoyd4.jpg Federico Boyd
(1851–1924)
Acting President
1 October 1910 5 October 1910 4 days PLN
Pabloarosemena.jpg Pablo Arosemena
(1836–1920)
Acting President
5 October 1910 1 October 1912 1 year, 362 days PLN
3 Belisario Porras Barahona.jpg Belisario Porras Barahona
(1856–1942)
First tenure
1912 1 October 1912 1 October 1916 4 years PLN
4 RMvaldes7.jpg Ramón Maximiliano Valdés
(1867–1918)
1916 1 October 1916 3 June 1918 1 year, 245 days PLN
8CiroU.jpg Ciro Luis Urriola
(1863–1922)
Acting President
3 June 1918 1 October 1918 120 days PLN
Pedro Antonio Díaz.jpg Pedro Antonio Díaz
(1852–1919)
Acting President
1 October 1918 12 October 1918 11 days PC
(3) Belisario Porras Barahona.jpg Belisario Porras Barahona
(1856–1942)
Second tenure
1918 12 October 1918 30 January 1920 1 year, 110 days PLN
Ernesto Tisdel Lefevre.jpg Ernesto Tisdel Lefevre
(1876–1922)
Acting President
30 January 1920 1 October 1920 245 days PLN
(3) Belisario Porras Barahona.jpg Belisario Porras Barahona
(1856–1942)
Third tenure
1920 1 October 1920 1 October 1924 4 years PLN
5 Rodolfo Chiari.jpg Rodolfo Chiari
(1869–1937)
1924 1 October 1924 1 October 1928 4 years PLN
6 El Ingeniero Don Florencio Harmodio Arosemena.jpg Florencio Harmodio Arosemena
(1872–1945)
1928 1 October 1928 3 January 1931
(Deposed in a coup)
2 years, 94 days PLN
Harmodio Arias Madrid.png Harmodio Arias Madrid
(1886–1963)
Acting President
3 January 1931 16 January 1931 13 days Independent
7 Ricardo J. Alfaro.jpg Ricardo Joaquín Alfaro Jované
(1882–1971)
16 January 1931 5 June 1932 1 year, 141 days PLN
8 Harmodio Arias Madrid.png Harmodio Arias Madrid
(1886–1963)
1932 5 June 1932 1 October 1936 4 years, 118 days PNR
9 Juan Demóstenes Arosemena.jpg Juan Demóstenes Arosemena
(1879–1939)
1936 1 October 1936 16 December 1939 3 years, 76 days PLN
Ezequiel Fernández Jaén.jpg Ezequiel Fernández
(1886–1946)
Acting President
16 December 1939 18 December 1939 2 days PNR
Augusto Samuel Boyd.jpg Augusto Samuel Boyd
(1879–1957)
Acting President
18 December 1939 1 October 1940 288 days PNR
10 Arnulfo Arias Madrid - 1950.jpg Arnulfo Arias
(1901–1988)
First tenure
1940 1 October 1940 9 October 1941
(Deposed in a coup)
1 year, 8 days PNR
11 Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia.jpg Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango
(1899–1969)
9 October 1941 15 June 1945 3 years, 249 days Independent
Dres. Jurado, Jiménez y Alfaro (cropped).jpg Enrique Adolfo Jiménez
(1888–1970)
Provisional president
1945 15 June 1945 7 August 1948 3 years, 53 days PLN
12 Domingo Díaz Arosemena.jpg Domingo Díaz Arosemena
(1875–1949)
1948 7 August 1948 28 July 1949
(Resigned)
355 days PLN
13 No image.png Daniel Chanis Pinzón
(1892–1961)
28 July 1949 20 November 1949 115 days PLN
14 Roberto F. Chiari.jpg Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
(1905–1981)
First tenure
20 November 1949 24 November 1949 4 days PLN
(10) Arnulfo Arias Madrid - 1950.jpg Arnulfo Arias
(1901–1988)
Second tenure
24 November 1949 9 May 1951 1 year, 166 days PP
15 No image.png Alcibíades Arosemena
(1883–1958)
9 May 1951 1 October 1952 1 year, 145 days PPA
16 Estatua de José Antonio Remón Cantera - Sede de la Policía Nacional de Panamá (2012).jpg José Antonio Remón Cantera
(1908–1955)
1952 1 October 1952 2 January 1955
(Assassinated)
2 years, 93 days CPN
17 No image.png José Ramón Guizado
(1899–1964)
2 January 1955 29 March 1955 86 days CPN
18 Ricardo Arias Espinosa.jpg Ricardo Arias
(1912–1993)
29 March 1955 1 October 1956 1 year, 186 days CPN
19 No image.png Ernesto de la Guardia
(1904–1983)
1956 1 October 1956 1 October 1960 4 years CPN
(14) Roberto F. Chiari 1962.jpg Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
(1905–1981)
Second tenure
1960 1 October 1960 17 March 1963 2 years, 167 days PLN
No image.png Bernardino González Ruiz
(1911–2012)
Acting President
17 March 1963 23 March 1963 6 days PAD
(14) Roberto F. Chiari 1962.jpg Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
(1905–1981)
Third tenure
23 March 1963 1 October 1964 1 year, 192 days PLN
20 No image.png Marco Aurelio Robles
(1908–1990)
1964 1 October 1964 1 October 1968 4 years PLN
(10) A. Arias President of Panama (cropped).jpg Arnulfo Arias
(1901–1988)
Third tenure
1968 1 October 1968 11 October 1968
(Deposed in a coup)
10 days PP
No image.png José María Pinilla Fábrega
(1919–1979)
Chairman of the Provisional Junta
Ruled jointly with Bolívar Urrutia Parrilla
12 October 1968 18 December 1969 1 year, 67 days National Guard
21 No image.png Colonel
Bolívar Urrutia Parrilla
(1918–2005)
Ruled jointly with José María Pinilla Fábrega
12 October 1968 18 December 1969 1 year, 67 days National Guard
President Demetrio Lakas (cropped).jpg Demetrio B. Lakas
(1925–1999)
Chairman of the Provisional
Junta from 1969 to 1972
19 December 1969 11 October 1972 2 years, 297 days Independent
22 1972 11 October 1972 11 October 1978 6 years
23 Aristides Royo (6713987733) (cropped).jpg Aristides Royo
(born 1940)
1978 11 October 1978 31 July 1982 3 years, 293 days Independent
(until March 1979)
PRD
24 De-la-espriella-crop.jpg Ricardo de la Espriella
(born 1934)
31 July 1982 13 February 1984 1 year, 197 days PRD
25 Jorge Enrique Illueca Sibauste, presidente de Panamá.png Jorge Illueca
(1918–2012)
13 February 1984 11 October 1984 241 days Independent
26 Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino.jpg Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino
(born 1938)
1984 11 October 1984 28 September 1985 352 days PRD
Eric Arturo Delvalle.png Eric Arturo Delvalle
(1937–2015)
Acting President
28 September 1985 26 February 1988 2 years, 151 days PR
No image.png Manuel Solís Palma
(1917–2009)
Acting President
26 February 1988 1 September 1989 1 year, 187 days PRD
No image.png Francisco Rodríguez
(born 1938)
Provisional president
1 September 1989 20 December 1989
(Deposed in the US invasion)
110 days PRD
27 Guillermo Endara 1993.jpg Guillermo Endara
(1936–2009)
1989 20 December 1989 1 September 1994 4 years, 255 days PP
28 Mr. Ernesto Perez Balladares (cropped).jpg Ernesto Pérez Balladares
(born 1946)
1994 1 September 1994 1 September 1999 5 years PRD
29 Mireya Moscoso in 2012.jpg Mireya Moscoso
(born 1946)
1999 1 September 1999 1 September 2004 5 years PP
30 Panama.MartinTorrijos.01.jpg Martín Torrijos
(born 1963)
2004 1 September 2004 1 July 2009 4 years, 303 days PRD
31 Ricardo Martinelli Presidente de Panamá.jpg Ricardo Martinelli
(born 1952)
2009 1 July 2009 1 July 2014 5 years CD
32 Juan Carlos Varela (2014).jpg Juan Carlos Varela
(born 1963)
2014 1 July 2014 1 July 2019 5 years PP
33 Laurentino Cortizo at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1).jpg Laurentino Cortizo
(born 1953)
2019 1 July 2019 1 July 2024 5 years PRD
34 Ceremonia de transmisión de mando de Panama (cropped).jpg José Raúl Mulino
(born 1959)
2024 1 July 2024 Incumbent 176 days RM

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. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Military affiliation Notes
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Omar Torrijos 1977.jpg Brigadier-General
Omar Torrijos
(1929–1981)
11 October 1968 31 July 1981 12 years, 293 days National Guard Assumed 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 No image.png Colonel
Rubén Darío Paredes
(born 1933)
3 March 1982 12 August 1983 1 year, 162 days National Guard
3 Manuel Noriega mugshot cropped.jpg General
Manuel Noriega
(1934–2017)
12 August 1983 20 December 1989 6 years, 130 days National Guard Styled as Maximum Leader of the National Liberation from 15 December 1989.
Deposed in the US invasion.
Panama Defense Forces
(from 29 September 1983.)

Timeline

José Raúl Mulino Laurentino Cortizo Juan Carlos Varela Ricardo Martinelli Martín Torrijos Mireya Moscoso Ernesto Pérez Balladares Guillermo Endara Francisco Rodríguez Manuel Solís Palma Eric Arturo Delvalle Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino Jorge Illueca Manuel Noriega Ricardo de la Espriella Rubén Darío Paredes Aristides Royo Demetrio B. Lakas Omar Torrijos Bolívar Urrutia Parrilla José María Pinilla Fábrega Marco Aurelio Robles Bernardino González Ruiz Ernesto de la Guardia Ricardo Arias José Ramón Guizado José Antonio Remón Cantera Alcibíades Arosemena Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón Daniel Chanis Pinzón Domingo Díaz Arosemena Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango Arnulfo Arias Augusto Samuel Boyd Ezequiel Fernández Juan Demóstenes Arosemena Ricardo Joaquín Alfaro Jované Harmodio Arias Madrid Florencio Harmodio Arosemena Rodolfo Chiari Ernesto Tisdel Lefevre Pedro Antonio Díaz Ciro Luis Urriola Ramón Maximiliano Valdés Belisario Porras Barahona Pablo Arosemena Carlos Antonio Mendoza José Domingo de Obaldía Manuel Amador Guerrero Manuel Espinosa Batista Federico Boyd Tomás Arias José Agustín Arango Demetrio H. Brid

Latest election

Candidate Party Votes %
Realizing Goals–Alliance Realizing Goals 668,527 29.39
Alliance Party 110,245 4.85
Total 778,772 34.23
Another Way Movement 559,432 24.59
People's Party 364,576 16.03
For a Better Panama Democratic Change 138,274 6.08
Panameñista Party 120,544 5.30
Total 258,818 11.38
Independent 150,338 6.61
Vamos con todo Panama Democratic Revolutionary Party 126,454 5.56
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement 7,337 0.32
Total 133,791 5.88
Independent 24,531 1.08
Independent PAIS 2,442 0.11
Independent 2,218 0.10
Total 4,660 0.20
Total 2,274,918 100.00
Valid votes 2,274,918 97.53
Invalid votes 38,544 1.65
Blank votes 19,101 0.82
Total votes 2,332,563 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 3,004,083 77.65
Source: Tribunal Electoral

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Presidentes de Panamá para niños


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