Reply #14: I've looked for info. on him, haven't found a lot. He's described as the "baron" of food stores, [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

32 of them in Panama, has acquired another recently, owns 2 "Mega Depot" stores, whatever that is, and graduated in Bidness from the University of Arkansas. (So many Latin American politicians went to college in the U.S. Wierd, isn't it?)

People don't seem overly impressed by the guy. Ran into article after article ridiculing him. He's seen as the "distant" fourth place candidate.

He appears to have a less than spectacular history of public service. From an article in the Panama News:

~snip~
When Martinelli headed the Social Security Fund during the Pérez Balladares administration, there was a rash of 11 sudden deaths of kidney dialysis patients, most likely caused by using bad chemicals in the machines. By the time that the problem was discovered, any evidence that might have identified the cause had been removed and the doctors and technicians weren't talking. Endara's wife, Ana Mae Díaz de Endara, criticized Martinelli for failing to get to the bottom of the situation and the latter charged her with criminal defamation (calumnia e injuria). That prompted the former president to call Martinelli a "maricon" (homosexual), whereupon Martinelli charged him with defamation. The former first lady was acquitted, the former president was convicted but pardoned, and there isn't a lot of love lost between Mr. Endara and Mr. Martinelli.

Recent polls suggest that most Panamanians disapprove of the present administration's performance, think that the country is on the wrong track and are likely to vote against the PRD in the May 2009 general elections. But Panama has first past the post presidential elections and since 1989 no presidential candidate has been elected with a majority of the vote. In 1994 Ernesto Pérez Balladares was elected with few votes beyond the PRD base, winning just over 33 percent in a seven-way race. Most political analysts believe that if Martinelli and Varela split the opposition vote about evenly, the PRD candidate will win. However, both Martinelli and Varela are counting on a shift of opposition voters to the strongest-looking PRD opponent as Election Day approaches. That polarization has yet to begin.

http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_14/issue_14/news_04.html



"What you staring at?"
Ricardo Martinelli