Mayoral race: Liberal Party tied to Bernal

PANAMA. The political commission and the board of directors of the Liberal Party, allied to the official ticket (PRD), decided on Monday to maintain their support for the independent candidate for Panama City’s mayor office, Miguel Antonio Bernal.

Many expected the Liberals to withdraw their support when it became clear that Bernal would also be nominated by Union Patriotica, allied to one of the opposing tickets. as the Liberals’ president Joaquin Franco publicly declared his confusion with Bernal’s acceptance of another party’s nomination. But a series of party norms kept them from withdrawing support.

Dropping Bernal would violate party rules, as the decision could not be taken by the board of directors and instead had to be taken by the national directive, which initially supported Bernal.

The board of directors and the political commission were left tied to Bernal, and ended up voting to move on with the candidate despite being backed by an opposing party.

The president of the Liberal Party, Joaquin Franco III,s

said that they, “as a serious and traditional party,” decided to keep their word and “support the independent candidate.”

Bernal fornhis part is sure that the Liberals’ decision shows the autonomy that should exist in all of the political institutions as they hold their ground as a collective group.

“The PRD and its leaders, especially Martin Torrijos, were pressuring the Liberals to remove their support for me but their efforts were useless,” he stated.

Now Miguel Antonio Bernal makes history as the first candidate to be supported by parties of opposing tickets.