El Nuevo Herald from
AFP, Miami, 1/20/99
PANAMA

Ruben Blades' Party Split Over Presidential Endorsement

The support by the Papa Egoro Movement (MPE) of the candidate of
Panama's ruling party for the next presidential elections has
raised some hackles, and unleashed calls for the prosecution of
singer/songwriter Ruben Blades, the Movement's founder, for
"betraying the party."  In addition to his artistic achievements,
Blades has a law degree from Harvard and was the MPE's
presidential candidate in the Panamanian presidential elections
of 1994, when the party won third place.

Luis Banque, representing the Court of Honor of the MPE,
declared, "We are demanding a trial for Blades for betrayal of
the independent line that he proclaimed when he founded the
party."  In addition, said Banque, "his CDs, photos, posters and
movies should be incinerated, along with the symbols of the
party, as a sign of protest for what he has done."

The MPE announced on January 17 that it was supporting the
presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary
Party (PRD), Martin Torrijos, in the election scheduled for May
2.  Blades had said the best option for the MPE, which does not
have its own candidate, would be Mireya Moscoso, who is supported
by the opposition.  However, the majority of the leadership of
the MPE, many of whom are former PRD members, voted to support
Torrijos.

The MPE was founded in 1991 as an alternative to the traditional
Panamanian parties.  In the 1994 elections it was broadly
supported by the Panamanian youth.  However, according to Sandra
Escorcia, president of the opposition Civil Renovation Party
(PRC), it has become "a satellite" of the ruling party, or an
"MPE light."

Blades has made no comment, but the MPE's vice president, Bernabe
Perez, said anyone who supports a candidate other than Torrijos
will be expelled from the party, because the decision to support
that candidate was made by the highest level of the MPE.

Another MPE member who is against supporting Torrijos, Mariela
Jimenez, said "Rubencito," as he is called, "is a terrible
politician, a singer on the downslide, and a worse actor."  Since
his 1994 presidential campaign Blades has not participated in
party activities because of his artistic pursuits and the fact
that he lives most of the time in New York.  Jimenez accused him
of wanting to direct the party "by fax," and said this is an
affront to those who had believed in the movement.

According to polls, Torrijos, son of Gen. Omar Torrijos, who
signed the Carter-Torrijos Treaty turning the Panama Canal over
to the Panamanians on January 1, 2000, is the top-ranking
candidate so far, with 39.3 per cent of the electorate in his
favor.  Mireya Moscoso, of the opposition Arnulfista Party, has
29 per cent, according to the same poll.