Sour election losers spewing their internal rifts

PANAMA. The internal disputes in the the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD), have resurfaced after their poor performance in the elections.

Juan Carlos Navarro, former vice-president candidate in the official ticket, took the second step in a rivalry with the until recently presidential candidate Balbina Herrera that started during the PRD’s primary elections. “I demand those responsible for this defeat to show their faces,” said Navarro in a press conference he called on Monday.

For Navarro, it all started when “party authorities”, whom he did not want to identify, “promoted the rupture of the pact” between him and Balbina, whereby he would run for president and she would aspire for the mayor’s office.

“The party was subjected to its worst electoral debacle and some are acting as if nothing has happened,” said Navarro as he evaluated what he called “the worst defeat” in the PRD’s history.

Navarro said the party’s executive committee should be held accountable for the decisions they took, and should explain how a party in the middle of an economic boom was irresponsibly taken to where it is today.

Meanwhile, Balbina far from thinking about renouncing the party’s leadership, is already speaking of the next elections.

Political analysts within the party lines all agree that internal adjustments are necessary.

Radio talk show host Renato Pereira said defeats are not free, and “leadership should pay a price.” While former lawmaker Mario Rognoni criticized the lack of “ideology” in the party’s membership, saying inscriptions cannot be accepted simply to fill a quota.