Juan Carlos Varela
| Juan Carlos Varela | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of Panama | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2014 | |
| Vice President | Isabel Saint Malo |
| Preceded by | Ricardo Martinelli |
| Vice President of Panama | |
| In office 1 July 2009 – 1 July 2014 | |
| President | Ricardo Martinelli |
| Preceded by | Samuel Lewis Navarro |
| Succeeded by | Isabel Saint Malo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez 12 December 1963 Panama City, Panama |
| Political party | Panameñista Party |
| Spouse(s) | Lorena Castillo |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez (born 12 December 1963) is a Panamanian politician who has been President of Panama since 2014. Previously he served Vice President of Panama from 2009 to 2014; he was also Minister of Foreign Relations from July 2009 to August 2011. He has been the President of the Panameñista Party, the third-largest in Panama, since 2006.
On 4 May 2014, Varela won the 2014 presidential election with over 39% of the votes, against the party of his former political partner Ricardo Martinelli, Cambio Democrático, and their candidate José Domingo Arias.[1] He was sworn in on 1 July 2014.
Early life and education
Born in Panama City, Juan Carlos Varela is an entrepreneur, with family roots in the province of Herrera. After graduating from Colegio Javier, he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in 1985.[2]
Career
In the private sector, Varela has been on the board of Varela Hermanos, a family company, since 1985 and was executive vice president of the company until 2008.
In the political arena, he worked in political campaigns beginning in the 1990s, was chief of the Panameñista Party campaign in 1994 and was the Panameñista Party's presidential candidate during the 2009 election. He joined forces with his rival in the presidential race, Ricardo Martinelli, as the candidate for Vice President, and on May 3, 2009, was sworn in as Vice-President of Panama.[3] Varela won the 2014 presidential election, winning against the ruling-party candidate José Domingo Arias, who was supported by Cambio Democrático, a party led by outgoing President Ricardo Martinelli. Varela won about 39% of the vote against 32% for Arias.[4]
Personal life
Varela is married to journalist Lorena Castillo and has three children.
See also
References
- ↑ "Panama's New President: A Boost for Business". Time. May 5, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Launching of the Center". Georgia Tech Panama Logistics Innovation ahd Research Center. 2010-09-28. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
- ↑ "Transmision de Mando Presidencial (Spanish)".
- ↑ Randal C. Archibold, "Incumbent’s Party Loses Presidency in Panama", New York Times, 4 May 2014
External sources
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Juan Carlos Varela. |
- Vicepresidente de Panamá · Presidencia.gob.pa
- Toma de posesión Juan Carlos Varela
- Biography of Juan Carlos Varela
- Twitter: Juan Carlos Varela
- Facebook: Juan Carlos Varela
- Website: Juan Carlos Varela
- Biography by CIDOB
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Marco Ameglio |
President of the Panameñista Party 2006–present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Samuel Lewis Navarro |
Minister of Foreign Relations 2009–2011 |
Succeeded by Roberto Henríquez |
| Vice President of Panama 2009–2014 |
Succeeded by Isabel Saint Malo | |
| Preceded by Ricardo Martinelli |
President of Panama 2014–present |
Incumbent |
| ||||||