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Laurentino Cortizo51st President of Panama since July 1, 2019
Date of Birth: 30.01.1953
Country:  Panama |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Professional Career
- Political Career
- Minister of Agricultural Development and Cabinet Resignation
- Presidential Candidacies
- Presidency
- Personal Life
Early Life and Education
Lauretino Cortizo Cohenwas born in Panama City on July 30, 1953. His parents, Lauretino Cortizo Cortizo and Ester Cohen de Cortizo, were a Spanish Galician businessman and a Jewish educator, respectively. Cortizo attended Javier College in Panama City for elementary school and La Salle College in Nicaragua for secondary school. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Norwich University (USA) and a master's and doctorate degree in business administration, international trade, and marketing from the University of Texas at Austin.
Professional Career
Upon graduating in 1981, Cortizo worked in Washington D.C. as a technical advisor to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). In 1986, he became Deputy Representative of Panama to the OAS, serving on its budget committee and the working group on the private sector economy. He also chaired the working group on development issues for Central American countries and the permanent executive committee of the Economic and Social Council of Central American Countries. From 1986 to 2019, Cortizo worked in the private sector for the Cortizo Group, Panablock, and Hacienda Hermacor.
Political Career
Early Political Involvement and Legislative LeadershipIn 1994, Cortizo was elected to the National Assembly as a representative for the Colón Province from the Solidarity Party. He served as First Vice President of the National Assembly from 1998 to 1999.
In the 1999 general elections, Cortizo ran as a candidate for Second Vice President of Panama on the ticket of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) candidate Martin Torrijos. Although the PRD candidate lost, Cortizo was reelected to the National Assembly (NA). In 2000, he was elected President of the NA.
Minister of Agricultural Development and Cabinet Resignation
After initially supporting President Mireya Moscoso's government through a multi-party agreement among five centrist and center-right parties, Cortizo broke with the Solidarity Party and joined the Panameñista Party. However, he maintained close ties with the PRD and supported its presidential candidate, M. Torrijos, in the 2004 general elections.
Formally joining the PRD in 2004, Cortizo was appointed Minister of Agricultural Development by President Torrijos, relinquishing his seat in the NA. He took a strong stance in negotiations on a free trade agreement between Panama and the United States, refusing to sign it in 2005 due to concerns about national sanitary controls and the potential harm to Panama's agricultural sector. He resigned from his ministerial position in 2006, publicly opposing the negotiations.
Presidential Candidacies
Cortizo announced his candidacy for President in 2008 from the PRD, but was defeated in the party primaries. He supported PRD candidate Balbina Herrera in the 2009 general elections and served as the coordinator of her government plan.
In 2016, Cortizo announced his intention to run for President again under the PRD banner. He received the support of key party leaders and factions and won the party's primary election convincingly in 2018.
Presidency
Cortizo was elected President of Panama in the 2019 general elections, taking office on July 1, 2019. His presidency has focused on addressing poverty, social problems, and corruption, as well as promoting education, economic growth, and constitutional reform.
Personal Life
Cortizo is married to Yasmin Colon de Cortizo, a Puerto Rican. They have two children and two grandchildren. He is an avid reader of the Bible and enjoys playing and watching sports, particularly soccer and American football.
