The mayoralty carousel keeps twirling

THE RACE to be the next of Mayor of Panama is currently gaining more attention than the battle for the presidency.

On Tuesday May 28 pre-candidate Bobby Valasquez bailed out of the PRD primaries after YouTube revelations of alleged threats to injure an opposing candidate, Jose Louis Fabrega. President Martinelli was quick to spread the news of the offending recording via Twitter. Velasquez will now lend his support to former presidential candidate Balbina Herrera who hopes to snag the PRD nomination.

On Wednesday, Panama City Mayor Roxana Méndez, stepped out to quell widespread rumors that Martinelli was backing another candidate whom he had talked out of taking a run at being the CD presidential hopeful. She said it is untrue that President Ricardo Martinelli has already decided to support another candidate for her job in the 2014 election and said she will not drop out of the race.
"It's totally false…We have to take away those myths," she said. "[Martinelli] has encouraged us all to continue to run."
She said she is running because "we cannot let people who are criminal and unscrupulous lead our country."
The CD will hold a primary for the office in September.
Meanwhile Jose Blandon, a former advisor to deposed Mayor Bosco Vallarino plans to be a Panamenista candidate and forme Tv presenter Ana Perez will be running as an independent. There may be others waiting for the right time to throw their hats into the ring.