{"id":9441,"date":"2025-11-17T19:59:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T00:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=9441"},"modified":"2025-11-17T21:07:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T02:07:11","slug":"herreras-path-to-power-cleared-by-panama-tribunal-ruling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/herreras-path-to-power-cleared-by-panama-tribunal-ruling\/","title":{"rendered":"Herrera&#8217;s Path to Power Cleared by Panama Tribunal Ruling"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Panama&#8217;s Electoral Tribunal has cleared National Assembly President Jorge Herrera to compete for the Paname\u00f1ista Party leadership. The tribunal&#8217;s Edict 29-2025-S.G., published Sunday, rejected an appeal challenging whether Herrera&#8217;s candidate slate complied with gender parity rules. This decision allows Herrera to proceed toward the party&#8217;s national convention scheduled for November 23.<\/p>\n<p>The ruling represents a significant legal victory for Herrera&#8217;s faction within the historically influential political party. It specifically addresses allegations filed by fellow party member Rodrigo Esquivel, who claimed Herrera&#8217;s proposed director slate violated internal election regulations. The appeal sought to nullify Herrera&#8217;s nominations based on alleged non-compliance with the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Electoral_Code_of_Panama\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Electoral Code of Panama<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Legal Challenge Dismissed<\/h2>\n<p>Rodrigo Esquivel&#8217;s legal challenge argued that Herrera&#8217;s proposed list, identified as Number 2 and headed by Iraida Graell, breached Article 373 of the electoral code. That article mandates each principal candidate must have a substitute of the opposite gender. The complaint also referenced Decree 19 of 2022, which reinforces this principle for all internal party positions.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Electoral_Tribunal_(Panama)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Electoral Tribunal of Panama<\/a> confirmed the earlier Resolution Number 35-2025-J4AE from November 4. That initial ruling had already declined to nullify Herrera&#8217;s nominations. Magistrate Narciso J. Arellano Moreno served as the reporting judge for this definitive decision.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Resolved: To confirm in all its parts Resolution No. 35-2025-J4AE of November 4, 2025, issued by the Fourth Administrative Electoral Court, which resolved not to accede to the claim to declare the nullity of the nominations of the slate described as list No. 2 of national directors, principals and substitutes, headed by Iraida Graell,&#8221; the tribunal document stated. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Herrera&#8217;s campaign team had previously asserted the challenge relied on an unofficial and altered version of their candidate list. They maintained the official submission properly followed all established procedures and met every legal requirement for <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gender_parity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gender parity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DRIVj1VkaIA\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DRIVj1VkaIA\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DRIVj1VkaIA\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Jorge Herrera (@jorgeherrerahd)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Path to Party Leadership<\/h2>\n<p>This legal clearance sets the stage for a direct contest between Jorge Herrera and businessman Carlos Ra\u00fal Piad. The Paname\u00f1ista Party convention will select a provisional leadership team intended to guide the party for approximately 15 months. A definitive reorganization is planned for 2027 following the party&#8217;s performance in the 2024 general elections.<\/p>\n<p>Sources within the National Committee of Elections indicated in October that the tribunal&#8217;s decision would form part of the formal pre-convention process. The ruling provides crucial momentum for Herrera&#8217;s bid to lead a party seeking renewal. This internal election occurs against the backdrop of Panama&#8217;s evolving political landscape and the <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/how-panama-fortified-digital-democracy-for-the-region\/\" rel=\"internal\">tribunal electoral<\/a> ongoing modernization efforts.<\/p>\n<p>The tribunal based its definitive ruling on multiple legal foundations. These included Articles 372, 373, 670, and 671 of the Electoral Code alongside the Paname\u00f1ista Party Statute. The approved election regulations established through Resolution number 43-DNOE from September 15 also informed the decision.<\/p>\n<p>With this legal obstacle removed, political observers anticipate intensified campaigning within the Paname\u00f1ista ranks. The party&#8217;s future direction hangs in the balance as these two factions prepare for their November convention showdown. This internal election could determine whether traditional political structures maintain relevance in contemporary Panamanian politics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Panama&#8217;s Electoral Tribunal has cleared National Assembly President Jorge Herrera to compete for the Paname\u00f1ista Party leadership. The tribunal&#8217;s Edict 29-2025-S.G., published Sunday, rejected an appeal challenging whether Herrera&#8217;s candidate slate complied with gender parity rules. This decision allows Herrera to proceed toward the party&#8217;s national convention scheduled for November 23. The ruling represents a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[881,882,883,45],"class_list":{"0":"post-9441","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics-government","8":"tag-electoral-tribunal","9":"tag-jorge-herrera","10":"tag-panama-electoral-tribunal-upholds","11":"tag-panama-politics"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9441"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9442,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9441\/revisions\/9442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}