Infighting continues but PP plan to name VP candidate

 IN SPITE of internal dissension over which party to ally with in the 2014 election, the Partido Popular (PP) is planning a Congress to choose a potential vice presidential candidate.

At the same time, August 25,the party leaders will seek to seal the electoral alliance with the Panameñista party.

Party President Milton Henríquez one who spearheaded the decision to break the Alliance with the PRD after the 2009 election is the most likely one to get the nod for the VP candidature.

PP Vice President Carlos González De la Lastra said that it would be a "triumph" for the alliance if Henriquez was selected, because in his view, he is prepared and has the tools to be vice president.
Meanwhile, internally the party continues to deal with opponents of the alliance who want the party to go back with the PRD. The party is considering expelling these members, who include some of the senior officials who call themselves Verdes por Panamá,, The dissidents said that they will announce next week whether or not they will remain in the party.
They said if they leave, they will be independents and not join another group.
Aníbal Culiolis, who heads the group formed by some of the founders of the party, said that they have to make three decisions, namely: the candidate whom they will support, if they will participate in the party congress and if they will resign from the party.
"It is a discussion which is going forward," Culiolis said. "If we give up our party we will not sign with another."
The group has initially supported PRD presidential candidate Juan Carlos Navarro.