OFF THE CUFF: Panama’s rising “leader”

GLOBE-TROTTING   for Panamanian politicians is not limited to the President Juan Carlos Varela and his Vice President and Chancellor, Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado.

She is heading for Europe accompanied by controversial Panamenista Deputy, Katleen Levy who has gained fame for her personal fashion and social activities,  attempting to win over constituents with tickets at Christmas turkey giveaways, a taxpayer-funded jaunt to Morrocco and having her name illegally emblazoned on government vehicles.

Her achievements as a lawmaker are harder to trace unless you count her talent for self-promotion. But she is off to Europe with the vice-president  Malo to participate in the European Development Days, which in Brussels, Belgium and in Lithuania for the Global Forum of Women “Leaders” in Politics.  If looks count, she will be a front-runner. Keep your social media lines open for a deluge of photos.  on facebook.

They will return to the country Friday, June 8.

The vice-president will appear  in Brussels as a panelist on the “Acceleration of the economic empowerment of women”, which will also be attended by leaders such as Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Queen Mathilde of Belgium; Sam Kutesa, President of the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations; Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan; among others.

In Lithuania, Saint-Malo and the deputy will be in the Global Forum of Women Leaders in Politics where they expose Heads of State and Government, Ministers,  and women mayors from around the world.

At the same time Saint Malo, who recently defended Panama’s most traveled president for his jet-setting, including his planned World Cup visit said she contemplates meetings with authorities of the European Union, with whom she will discuss the advances of Panama in matters of transparency and fiscal cooperation. While supporting Panama’s soccer team, Varela plans a sideshow meeting with President Putin.