Panama Gets a New President

Panama’s Vice President Juan Carlos Varela is going to be Panama’s new president. Varela won the Central American country’s presidential election on Sunday, May 4th, defeating Jose Domingo Arias, a relative newcomer chosen by current President Ricardo Martinelli to represent his party, and Juan Carlos Navarro, a former mayor of the capital, who was running third in the seven-candidate field. The victory comes after a bitter feud with Martinelli. Varela, who is 50 years old, is married to journalist Lorena Castillo and has three children. He will assume office on July 1st.

More Central American countries with new leaders in 2014:

Costa Rica’s new president Luis Guillermo Solís will take office on May 8, 2014. Solis emerged the winner of the presidential election in February 2014, but because no candidate had gotten 40% of the vote, a second run-off was held in April, which he also won. He is 56 years old and married to Mercedes Peñas.

El Salvador’s new president, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, will take office on June 1, 2014. The 69-year-old leftist politician and former teacher won the February 2014 election. Sánchez Cerén has been married to Margarita Villalta since 1968. He will turn 70 on June 18th.

Honduras also got a new president this year when 45-year-old Juan Orlando Hernández assumed office on January 27, 2014, after winning the November 2013 election. His wife’s name is Ana Rosalinda de Hernandez.