Panama’s First Lady Will Run For Vice Presidency  · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

Marta será nuestra vicepresidenta. Ella y Aimée serán el corazón social de nuestro gobierno. Vamos por más cambios con #LaFuerzadeloNuevo
— José Domingo Arias (@JDAriasV) January 29, 2014
Marta will be our next vice president. Her and Aimée will be the heart of our government. Let's go for more change with “the strength of the new”
With this tweet from the governing party, CD (Democratic Change) announced what was an open secret: Marta de Martinelli, wife of current president Ricardo Martinelli, will run as a candidate for vice presidency.
Social networks had already witnessed a change in the attitude of the first lady, who had taken on a more aggressive discourse since mid-2013; such as on October 15, 2013, when she took to her Twitter account to attack La Prensa, a medium that has been disqualified on more than one occasion by President Martinelli:
Quedo al descubierto intriga diario L Prensa donde dicen Vaticano no tiene en agenda visita RM. Debieron primero verificar cn l Nuncio PLOP
— Marta de Martinelli (@martamartinelli) October 15, 2013
La Prensa's scheme remains exposed, where they say that the Vatican does not have Ricardo Marinelli's visit on their schedule. They should verify things with the Nuncio first. GOSH.
The appointment of the First Lady has raised all sorts of reactions.
Sports commentator Juan Carlos Tapia shared an image that circulated on social networks where President Ricardo Martinelli appears with his wife's hairstyle, implying that he is the one who will really be running for the vice presidency.
Me acaban de mandar los candidatos del CD pic.twitter.com/soIGNV9cT6
— Juan Carlos Tapia (@JCTapiaLMB) January 29, 2014
They just sent me the Democratic Change candidates.
Twitter users created the hashtag #noseascongo (#dontbeafool), where several Panamanians denounced a “reelection” in disguise following the appointment of the First Lady.
Delany Morales denounced “the plan” under which it is believed the reelection will arrive according to her point of view.
Si estás en contra del plan funesto para traer la reelección, dale RT! #NoSeasCongo pic.twitter.com/LzAQDyHl2K
— Delany Morales (@delamora0) January 29, 2014
If you are against the disastrous plan to bring about the reelection, RT!
For some, like journalist Edwin Cabrera, alarms went off when the phenomenon that occurred in Argentina with Kirchner would be repeated.
primer reto será convencer a tod@s q un triunfo de @JDAriasV y @martamartinelli no será el inicio de la versión panameña del kirsnerischmo
— Edwin Cabrera (@EdwinECabreraU) January 29, 2014
The first challenge will be convincing that a win from @JDAriasV and @martamartinelli will not be the start of a Panamanian version of Kirchnerism.
Similarly, writer Edilberto Gonzalez, commented:
Aquí pues viendo como CD Kirchnerea.
— Edilberto González T (@egtrejos) January 30, 2014
Here, watching how the Democratic Change is Kirchnerizing.
For Julieta Guerra, however, there could not have been better news:
Una propuesta social, un alto sentido de inclusion es la formula presidencial JDAriasV y Marta de Martinelli. Vamos x +CAMBIOS!
— Julieta M. Guerra (@ju05guevara) January 30, 2014
A social proposal, a high sense of inclusion is the presidential formula for JDAriasV and Marta de Martinelli. Let's go for more CHANGE!
Alvaro Biebarach shares an image on his Facebook account where several of his friends are excited by the appointment of the First Lady:
Algunos mensajes en mi Facebook sobre designación de la Sra. Marta de Martinelli Excelente… pic.twitter.com/xqP9LNjbjf
— Alvaro Biebarach (@Alvarobiebarach) January 30, 2014
A few messages on my Facebook on the appointment of Ms. Marta de Martinelli. Excellent…
Meanwhile, Francisco Rodrigo shares an image of Article 193 of the Panamanian Constitution that seems to prevent the First Lady from running as vice president:
@rmartinelli debe leer el artículo 193 de al actual constitución política de Panamá pic.twitter.com/lxd34mk8jD
— Francisco Rodrigo (@yonosoyunspam) January 30, 2014
@rmartinelli should read Article 193 of Panama's current political constitution.
Regarding this dilemma, Electoral Tribunal President Erasmo Pinilla pronounced [es] that relatives in the fourth degree of consanguinity and second of affinity cannot be candidates, but spouses do not fall in either of these categories.
The stage is served and with this appointment there are already five nominees that will run for president and vice president on May 4.