Boquete: Politics in Paradise
Eight candidates are competing for the Mayor of Boquete; among them is the current mayor, Joswar Alvarado. Boquete, the definition of paradise, is nestled between the imposing Central mountain range and the Caldera River. Despite the countless benefits of this region of the country, the challenges are also evident. Boquete has two seasons: windy season and rainy season. The wind blows, the rainbows never end, and the bajareque sprinkles both the plants and the residents, in an average temperature of 22 degrees Celsius or 72 degrees Fahrenheit, that heat up to 28 or 82 at times, and overnight cool down to 16 or 61. Easy numbers to remember if you want to be Celcius/Fahrenheit educated. All of this is accompanied by the presence of strawberries, flowers, and the intoxicating aroma of coffee, in an environment of invaluable protected ecological areas. Boquete is coffee country and the tourist capital of Panama. This vibrant tourist area is in the district of the province of Chiriquí, where natural beauty intersects with the daily life of some 25 thousand inhabitants.
Currently an intense political battle for municipal leadership is taking place. Eight candidates are competing for Mayor of Boquete; among them is the current mayor, Joswar Alvarado. In addition to Alvarado, who was nominated by Realizing Goals, competing are: Emigdio Walker, candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD); José Montenegro, for the Panameñista Party; Eduardo Rodríguez, from Cambio Democrático (CD); Boris Bloise Navarro, from the Another Path Movement. While, through free nomination, the following are presented: Roberto Sicilia, Luis Rovira from the Vamos Coalition and Tomás Ruiz.
Thus, in the mountains of Boquete, where the valleys are dressed in green and the air is filled with the sweet aroma of coffee and flowers, the political campaign is in full swing. With an electorate of approximately 17 thousand citizens, this paradisiacal corner is preparing to define its destiny in the next five years. Meanwhile, the current mayor maintains that Boquete’s economy and tourism have improved during his term and is seeking re-election to keep these projects in the district. “I believe that the five-year work deserves to continue, since there are still challenges to overcome in terms of aqueducts and waste collection,” he said.
The current Mayor of Boquete Joswar Alvarado