Guillermo Ford

Guillermo Ford
Vice President of Panama
In office
1992–1994
President Guillermo Endara
Preceded by Ricardo Arias Calderón
Succeeded by Tomás Gabriel Altamirano
Personal details
Born November 11, 1936
Panama City, Panama
Died March 19, 2011 (aged 73)
Panama City, Panama

Guillermo "Billy" Ford Boyd (November 11, 1936 – March 19, 2011) was a Vice President of Panama. He was one of the running mates of presidential candidate Guillermo Endara during the 1989 Panamanian election campaign. During the election campaign the United States Government allegedly gave $10 million to the Endara campaign, but the election results were annulled by the Panamanian Government on 10 May.[1][2]

Ford gained international fame when a photo of an attack on him by a man hired by Manuel Noreiga, showing Ford "bloody but unbowed", appeared on the cover of Time magazine, Newsweek, and U.S. News.[2][3] After a rally in support of Endara and Ford, men with guns, pipes, and wooden planks attacked Ford and his entourage.[2][3] United States president George H. W. Bush called the men hired by Noriega "Doberman thugs".[3] The iconic photo by Ron Haviv (of AFP), of Ford in his white guayabera shirt splattered bright red with blood "became one of the most famous images of 1989. It was put on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News."[3]

After the United States invaded Panama on 20 December 1989, a judge swore Endara in as President in the United States controlled Canal Zone and Ford was appointed as Vice President.[2] Ford served as Vice President from the end of 1989 until 1994.[2]

Ford died March 19, 2011 in his residency in Panama City, Republic of Panama, and he received a state funeral.[4][5] The Panamanian National Assembly also honored him with a special resolution.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Franklin J, 2001, PANAMA:BACKGROUND AND BUILDUP TO INVASION OF 1989". http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~hbf/panama.htm. 
  2. ^ a b c d e "'Bloodied but unbowed' former Vice-President dies in Panama," Newsroom Panama, March 19, 2011. Found at Newsroom Panama website. Accessed March 21, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d "Attack on Guillermo Ford" on Iconic Photos website. Accessed March 21, 2011.
  4. ^ "Funeral de Guillermo Ford será similar al de Endara," TVN Panamá, March 21, 2011. Found at TVN-2 news website. (In Spanish) Accessed March 21, 2011.
  5. ^ "Gabinete decide hoy asueto por funeral de Ford," Critica, March 21, 2011. Found at 'Critica news website. (In Spanish) Accessed March 21, 2011.
  6. ^ Deivis Eliecer Cerrud, "Asamblea inicia consultas para estudio de legislación minera," La Estrella, March 21, 2011. Found at La Estrella newspaper website. (In Spanish) Accessed March 21, 2011.