The Rector of Unachi Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas will Leave Office on June 8 of 2026 

The rector of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí (Unachi), Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas, formally submitted her resignation from the position through a letter addressed to the General University Council, in which she announced that her departure will be effective from June 8, 2026.  Medianero de Bonagas stated that his decision seeks to contribute to the well-being of the students, the tranquility of the university community and the continuity of the institutional management.

Who is Jorge Bonilla and Why Could he Replace the Rector of Unachi?

Olivia Candanedo seated left with her husband and vice-rector, Jorge Bonilla. 

Beyond the figure of Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas, there is another key actor in the power structure and operation of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí (Unachi): the lawyer and academic vice-rector, Jorge Bonilla.  Bonilla also wields influence over one of the most sensitive processes in university life: the hiring of professors. Among his responsibilities is requesting the rector to appoint professors who are added to the “database,” based on recommendations from the committees in charge of evaluating applicants in the various academic units, that is, the faculties. The University Statute establishes that, in the event of the rector’s resignation, the Academic Vice-Rector would temporarily assume the leadership of the university.