Panama: New Strongman

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The latest shuffle understandably inspires little enthusiasm from Panama's seven chief civilian opposition parties. The civilians, however, appear to be cowed by the National Guard, and so far have uttered little outcry. The day following Paredes' announcements, a spokesman for a four-party coalition including Panama's Christian Democrats made a bland statement noting with approval the possiblity of Electoral Tribunal changes (that body has long been stacked with Torrijos appointees) and ministerial resignations. Nonetheless, Royo's resignation, said the parties, revealed the "incapacity" of Panama's National Guard-dominated political system. The guard's grip on that system is likely to become, if anything, more blatant in the future.