Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) of Panama – 76,000 Recent Resignations

Out with the old and in with the new. The PRD government of Panama has left the building.  There were over 725,000 members of ‘The Democratic Revolutionary Party’ (PRD) until the resounding electoral defeat in May.  The PRD membership plummeted recently with 76,000 resignations.  Three of the country’s oldest political parties continue to lose supporters. The Electoral Tribunal (TE) keeps track of this political activity and has this story for us.  The PRD leadership led by the Bocatoreño deputy Benicio Robinson said before the election, that they were oiling “the machinery” for the general elections with the aim of being re-elected to power as they were so powerful with so many members.  But they failed.  Their presidential candidate, José Gabriel Carrizo came in sixth place with 5.9% of the votes.  José Raúl Mulino won the presidency with 34.2% thanks to the promotional help of the former President Ricardo Martinelli.

By July 2024, after the resounding electoral defeat in May, the PRD had close to 650,000 members.  Despite this loss of members, the party continues to lead as the political organization with the most followers in Panama.  Another party that lost members in the period of one year was Democratic Change (CD), led by Rómulo Roux . In total, 27,402 members defected. Now, CD has 273,763.  The third party that registered a drop in its numbers was the Panameñista, whose president is José Blandón. It went from having 246,988 in July of last year to 232,226 this month. That is, it lost 14,762 members.  The Otro Camino Movement (Moca), a young party led by Ricardo Lombana, also saw a drop in members.  However, the drop was smaller: 2,017.  From having 38,280 registered students last year, Moca currently has 36,263.

 

Making Goals (RM) was the one that attracted the most people. In total, it added 28,067 members.  It now has a total of 258,411 members.   RM was the political platform that helped Mulino come to power.  RM was created in 2021 by former President Ricardo Martinelli, who has been living in the Nicaraguan Embassy in Panama since February 7.  Molirena, a former ally of the PRD, managed to increase its membership from 83,111 to 86,204.  The Popular Party, which nominated Martín Torrijos in the May elections, also gained supporters, rising from 18,733 to 20,276.