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Panama - Political Flags

Last modified: 2010-01-30 by dov gutterman
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Registered Political parties:

Unregistered Political parties and movements:


See also:


Cambio Democrático (Democratic Change)


image by Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006

The party "Cambio Democrático" was registered with the Electoral Court of Panamá on 20 May 1998 (Resolution 101). It is currently chaired by its founder Ricardo Martinelli and currently an opposition party. The emblem and flag of the party are described in the party statutes as follows (my translation from Spanish):
Article 5. The distinctive emblem of the party is made of an horizontal turquoise green oval, this colour symbolizing the hope of better days for Panamá, on which are placed the magenta letters CD outlined in white, acronym of the party name, representing the transparency of the acts of the party.
Article 6. The flag of the party is a rectangle divided into two horizontal stripes, one turquoise green covering 5/6 of the total flag area, with in its center a big symbol of the party, the other white covering 1/6 of the total flag area, charged with the name of the party CAMBIO DEMOCRATICO in magenta letters shadowed turquoise green.
Source: <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>
The image shown on <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa> (located by Dov Gutterman, 8 August 2002) seems to indicate that the proportion of the flag is 3:5. I have attempted to reconstruct the flag but the details are not accurate, namely the geometry of the emblem and the colours of the letters, which I have left black by defualt. I have not been able to locate an image of the real flag.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006


MOLIRENA


image by Ivan Sarajcic, 26 December 1999

Molinera is one of the parties that combines the "El-Cambio".
Dov Gutterman , 25 December 1999

MOLIRENA means "MOvimiento LIberal REpublicano NAcionalista". The party, chaired by Gisela Chung, was registered with the Electoral Court of Panamá on 12 August 1982 (Resolution 648). It it the third biggest party in  Panamá by its membership (80,905 on 31 august 2006), but far behin the PRD (462,205) and the Partido Panameñista (187,636).
The symbols of the party are described in the party statutes as follows (my translation from Spanish):
Article 2. The symbol or emblem of the party is made of a rectangular flag divided into two equal triangles whose bases form a diagonal running from the upper left to the lower right corner of the flag. The triangle adjacent to the hoist is red with the acronym MOLIRENA in white letters, whereas the distant triangle is yellow with a red rooster.
The flag of the MOLIRENA can be seen in real on  photographies at <www.pa-digital.com.pa> and <mensual.prensa.com>.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006


MORENA


image by Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006

The MORENA (Movimiento de Restauracion Nacional) is no longer in activity. Along with the Partido Arnulfista, the MOLIRENA and Cambio Democrático, it was part of the coalition Unión por Panamá led by Mireya Moscoso, who won the presidential election in 1999. The MORENA had one representative elected in the Legislative Assembly for the period 1999-2004.
The flag is horizontally divided green-yellow, with a green map of Panamá allover, the acronym of the party in big yellow letters above the map and its full name in smaller black letters below the map. My approximate rendition based on small image of the flag from <www.sinfo.net/molirena/mireya2.gif> (defunct), located by Dov Gutterman, 27 December 1999, is above.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006

The word morena is Spanish for "Moray eel".
António Martins-Tuválkin, 9 October 2006


MPE - Movimiento Papa Egoro (Mother Earth Movement)


image from <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>, located by Dov Gutterman

The political movement Movimiento Papa Egoró (Mother Earth in the indigenous language) was founded in the 1990s by Rubén Blades (b. 1948), the internationally famous salsa musician and actor. Blades was a a pioneer in the Nueva Cancion (New Song) movement, recording his first album in 1966. The movement was registered as a political party with the Electoral Court of Panamá on 19 January 1993 (Resolution 9).   In 1994, Blades ran for President of Panama and finished in third place, with about 20% of the vote.
In 1999, he announced that Papa Egoró would support Martin Torrijos, the candidated of the PRD, which caused a great fuss and the disbanding of the movement. Blades was appointed as Panama's Minister of Tourism by President Torrijos in 2004-2009.
The flag of the party, as seen waved by Blades on a photo, is made of the party emblem surrounded by a narrow white border.
Ivan Sache, 13 September 2009


Nuevo Amanecer (New Dawn)


image by Andy Weir, 11 January 2001

Based on umage from <www.martinpresidente.com/partidos.html> (defunct).
Dov Gutterman, 27 December 1999

"Nuevo Amanecer" means New Dawn in Spanish, which might explain the rising sun of the flag.
Ivan Sache, 8 October 2008


Partido Liberal (Liberal Party)


image by Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006

The party flag is a bell in a circle on Austrian type badsheet as seen at <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>.
The "Partido Liberal" is currently ran by Joaquin R. Franco Vasquez and supports the government of Panamá. It was registered with the Electoral Court of Panamá on 4 March 2005 (Resolution 30), but dates back to much older times, when Panamá was united with Colombia (until 1903). The colour of the Liberal Party is red; the red fields of the national flag of Panamá represent the (then) Liberals (but the current follower of those early Liberals seems to be the Partido Liberal Nacional rather than the Partido Liberal).
The symbols of the Partido Liberal are described in the party statutes as follows (my translation from Spanish):
Article 2. The distinctive symbol of the Partido Liberal is a flag of rectangular shape divided in three rectangular fields. The upper and lower fields are red and cover each one quarter of the flag; the middle field is white and is charged in the middle of a red ring surrounding a red bell. The shield of the Partido Liberal is a bell ringing the victory, placed within a white cricle surrounded by concentric red lines. The name of the party PARTIDO LIBERAL is placed above the bell; below the bell is the motto DEMOCRACIA, JUSTICIA Y LIBERTAD.
Moreover, Article 17 l prescribes that modifications of the party symbols can be made only by the National Convention of the party.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006


PLN - Partido Liberal-Nacional


alleged flag of the party
image by Jaume Ollé, 6 October 2006

Plain red flag appeared at <www.martinpresidente.com/partidos.html> (defunct).
Dov Gutterman, 27 December 1999

The Partido Liberal Nacional is chaired by Anibal Galindo. It was registered with the Electoral Court of Panamá on 29 October 1997 (Resolution 279), but it traces back to the old Partido Liberal of the Columbian era (before the secession of Panamá and its independence, 1903).
The symbols of the PLN are described in the party statutes as follows (my translation from Spanish):
Article 2. The symbol of the party is described as follows: it is a red rectangular flag, waving in the wind with a single wave, with a black staff surmonted by a lance arrow, placed on a white background charged in its lower part with the name of the party. The dimensions will be listed in an official presentation. The shade of red is described as follows: a bright red shade, equal to the shade of the red quarters in the national flag, which represents liberalism since the foundation of the Republic. (Article amended on 16 October 1997 during the second ordinary meeting of the party board).
Therefore, there is no party flag prescribed in the statutes and there is no hint that a plain red flag is used by the party.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006

See also: Unión Patriótica


PNP - Partido Nacionalista Popular (National Popular Party)


image from <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>

PNP stands for  Partido Nacionalista Popular and was registered by resolution 2 of 12 January 2004 Flag is orange with white emblem (consist of book, cogwheel and another object) and black party initials.
Dov Gutterman, 6 November 2006


Partido Panameñista (previously: Partido Arnulfista)


image by Phil Nelson, 25 December 1999

The flag of Arnulfista (part of El-Cambio) is horizontal yellow on red with a blue hoist vertical bar as seen at <www.mireyaeselcambio.com/menu.htm> (defunct)
Dov Gutterman, 25 December 1999

Image shows purple hoist with yellow over red. Based upon size, it appears to follow the 2:3 pattern of the Panamanian national flag.  Representation: fair.
Phil Nelson, 25 December 1999

Arnulfist Party: flag formed by a vertical band at the hoist, in blue, and two horizontal stripes at the fly, yellow (the upper) and red (the lower).  
The Arnulfist Party takes its name from the conservative politician Arnulfo Arias, and it is considered close to the American positions, and to conservative politics.
Jaume Ollé, 27 March 2005

On 10 August 2005, the Electoral Court of Panamá accepted the change of the name of the "Partido Arnulfista" to "Partido Panameñista" (Resolution 70). The name of the  "Partido Arnulfista", founded in 1990, refers to Arnulfo Arias (1901-1988), President of the Republic of Panamá in 1940-1941, 1959 and 1968, each time expelled by a military coup. His widow Mireya Moscoso (b. 1946), representing the "Partido Arnulfista", was President of the Republic in 1999-2004. The "Partido Panameñista" is currently chaired by Juan Carlos Varela. It is now the prinicipal opposition party in Panamá.
The "Partido Panameñista" has kept the flag of the "Partido Arnulfista", described in the party statutes as follows (my translation from Spanish):
Article 3. The flag of the "Partido Panameñista" is a rectangle or a wavy rectangle, with proportion 2:3 and three rectangular fields of equal area. The left field, stretching over one-third of the total area of the flag is placed vertically and of colour "morado", which means for the Panameñists the past, present and future sacrifices and their fight for a better Panamá. The two other fields on the right part of the rectangle are horizontal; the upper field is yellow, meaning the intuitive hope of men, women and children in the advent of a new ear of enlightment, Fraternity, Peace and Abundance; the lower field is red, which for the Panameñists means the blood shed by our martyres in all times for the sake of our fight for Justice, Independence and Democracy.
Article 4. The symbols and emblems of the "Partido Panameñista" are: a. The flag of the "Party Pañamenista", as described in the previous Article. b. The flag and emblems representative of the historical periods where Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid' Panameñism acted as a political entity. They are described in Appendix A  to this statutes.
Source: <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006


Partido Popular (Popular Party - previously: PDC- Demócrata Cristiano)


image from <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>, located by Dov Gutterman, 8 August 2002

Partido Popular was registered by resolution 365 of 28 August 1980 as Partido Demócrata Cristiano (PDC) and changed its name according to resolution 251 of 10 September 2001. The change in name also brought to change of the flag.
PDC flag was a green star leaning to the fly on white bedsheet with party initials above the star's hoist arm as seen at <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>.
The Partido Popular flag is described in its statutes as:
"ARTÍCULO 2: El símbolo distintivo de El Partido consiste en una bandera rectangular de color azul en la que figuran una estrella de color verde en movimiento hacia delante enmarcada con ribete blanco y el nombre PARTIDO POPULAR en letras gruesas, también de color blanco.
La estrella verde simboliza los valores del humanismo cristiano o integral, la esperanza de un mundo mejor y la trayectoria histórica de El Partido; el azul, la unidad de las corrientes de pensamiento democrático, pluralista e integrador que lo constituyen y, el blanco, la paz, la armonía y el patriotismo civilista que lo inspiran".
Dov Gutterman, 6 November 2005


PRD - Partido Revolucionario Democrático (Democratic Revolutionary Party)


image by Jaume Ollé, 27 March 2005


image by Jaume Ollé, 27 March 2005

Party of the Democratic Revolution (of Ernesto Perez Balladares): flag of three horizontal stripes, the upper red, the central white, and the lower dark blue. In the center a two-colored disk, red over dark blue, with a white border al around the disk. Within the red-blue colors is the number 11 in white. In the red upper band is written in white the word REVOLUCIÓN. In the lower blue band the word DEMOCRATICA.   The Party of the Democratic Revolution stemmed from the nationalist and progressive options adopted by General Torrijos, who obtained the retrocession of the Channel Zone, administered by the United States, to Panama. It has directed the political life in the last years, with exception of the lapse of the American invasion and the establishment of a government favorable to the interests of the United States   Supposed variant of the same Party flag observed in television images: Flag of four horizontal stripes, the upper red, the following dark blue, the third white and the lower dark blue. It also contains the words REVOLUCIÓN (written in white in the upper band) and DEMOCRATICA (written in white in the lower band).
Jaume Ollé, 27 March 2005

See also: <www.prd.com.pa>


Partido Renovación Civilista (Civil Renovation Party)


image from <www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa>

Partido Renovación Civilista and was registered by resolution 348 of 23 November 1993. Flag is white and charged with ab hand holding a dark blue-light blue torch.
Dov Gutterman, 6 November 2006


Solidaridad (Solidarity)


image by António Martins, 23 March 2000


1:2 version
imageby Ivan Sache, 26 December 1999

These four hands supposedly stand for inter-racial solidarity and fellowship, OK. But who's who? Brown should be for anfrican panamians, thats clear. But what about the others?
António Martins, 23 March 2000

I suspect that the hands stand for (by generally accepted continent of origin)
White - Europeans
Red - Americans
Yellow - Asians
Black - Africans

It is reminiscent of lyrics from the children's song:

"Red and Yellow Black and White,
They are precious in His site,
Jesus loves the little children
of the world"
Nathan Bliss, 24 March 2000

Just a guess, but may I suggest brown for African, yellow for Asian (Chinese), rose (red) for Native Indian, and white for European?
Joe McMillan, 25 March 2000

See also: Unión Patriótica


Tercer Partido Nacionalista (Third Nationalist Party)


image by Ivan Sache, 6 August 1999

Nationalist Party - Vertical red-white-blue with a white "mirrored" 3 in red stripe, a red P in white stripe and a white N in blue stripe.
Source: Smith (1975), pp. 340-341 ("Symbols in politics").
Ivan Sache, 6 August 1999

The 3PN stands for "Tercer Partido Nacionalista" (3rd Nationalist Party) - one of the government coalition parties that lost the 1968 elections won by the Panamenista party.  11 days after the Panamenista president was inaugurated, Torrijos overthrew him.
At the time of Smith´s book (1975) all political parties including the 3PN were banned by Torrijos and no unique official party existed.  Torrijos formed the PRD party in 1979 also allowing all other parties.
The 3PN joined the Republican and one of the Liberal parties to form the opposition MOLIRENA
Alvaro Aguilar, 21 December 1999


Unión Patriótica (Patriotic Union)

The new political party "Unión Patriótica" (UP), the  result of the merging of "Liberal Nacional" (PLN) and "Solidaridad", was registered on 8 August 2006 with the Election Court of Panamá by the respective leaders of the two former parties, Aníbal Galindo and José Mulino. The merging was approved by "Solidaridad" on 16 July and by PLN on 23 July.
Source: La Prensa, Panamá, 8 August 2006.
The new political party will be chaired jointly by the leaders of the two former parties during a transition period. The party has a flag, statutes and a government plan.
Source: Panactual.com, 6 October 2006.
Ivan Sache, 6 October 2006


Vanguardia Moral de la Patria (Moral Vanguard of the Motherland)


official flag of the VMP
image by Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006


flag of the VMP with the party emblem
image by Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006

According to a morning's newspaper in Panama, one of their Political Parties has a new flag. The flag is Yellow, White and Blue, in horizontal form, and the name of the party is Vanguardia Moral de la Patria (meaning: at the Front of the Fatherland's Moral Values).
Javier Blake, 26 July 2004

The VMP is still "in the process of formation", according to the Election Court of Panamá. Its founder is Guillermo Endara Galimany, former President of the Republic of Panamá (1989-1994), an opponent to current President of the Republic Martín Torrijos. Endara called for voting "no" to the referendum on the increase of the Canal of Panamá, scheduled to 22 0ctober 2006, claiming that the project is unconstitutional. In the 1990s, Endara contributed to the restructuration of the "Partido Arnulfisto" and was recently expelled from the party after having denounced its corruption.
The VMP blog shows the flag of the party as horizontally divided yellow-white-blue. From the party statutes (see below), it seems that this flag is the official one and that local branches of the party are allowed to deface it with the emblem of the party and, when required, the branch name.
"La Prensa", 24 June 2006, shows a photography of the meeting during which the name of the party was adopted. Two flags are shown, one without the party emblem and one with it.
The flag of the VMP is described in the party statutes as follows (my translation from the original in Spanish, with my comments placed between square brackets):  
"Article 2. The symbols of the party are:
1. The flag, rectangular and divided into three equal horizontal stripes, made of three colours: the upper stripe, yellow, the central stripe, white, and the lower stripe, blue. Meaning of the colours of the party flag: Blue: Involvment and empowerment in the fight for building a better country, providing peace, progress and prosperity to all the Panamanians. White: Honesty, justice, equality, democracy and liberty. Yellow: Faith and confidence of the Panamanians in a promising future for the country.
EXPLANATORY NOTE. The branches at the national, provincial, municipal and district level can use a single copy of the flag, rectangular and divided into three equal horizontal stripes, made of three colours: the upper stripe, yellow, the central stripe, white, and the lower stripe, blue. In the center of the flag, on the white stripe and overlapping the upper yellow and the lower blue stripes, shall be placed a shield (logotype or emblem), circular with a white background, with the writing VANGUARDIA MORAL DE LA PATRIA in blue letters in an arched pattern, the representation of the isthm of the Republic of Panamá, in yellow with a blue outline. The blue stripe shall be charged with the name of the region or the geographic entity [colour not mentioned].  
2. The shield, logotype or emblem, circular with a white background and a blue border, with the writing VANGUARDIA MORAL DE LA PATRIA in blue letters in an arched pattern, the representation of the isthm of the Republic of Panamá, in yellow with a blue outline.  
3. The anthem. For propaganda purpose may be used a logotype with the acronym VMP in blue letters or yellow, place over the representation of the isthm of the Republic of Panamá in the middle, in yellow with a blue outline. [The latter paragraph seems to me misplaced and might be better placed at the end of section 2.]   Article 3. [The first section of Article 3 starts with the list of the movements historically related to the party.] For official purposes and in official advertizing campaigns [I guess for elections], the party shall use only and exclusively the flag described in the first section of this article. [Again, this paragraph seems to be misplaced.] However, for advertizing campaigns, the party may use and show various logotypes with the party acronym, provided the distinctive colours of the party are always present".
The handbook of the party's member repeats the descriptions of the emblems from the party statutes, with images of the flag and the emblem, which are not shown in the statutes. It gives the main parts of the party anthem, mentioning the party flag as "Nuestra enseña, emblem de paz" (Our flag, symbol of peace).
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006


Farmers Movement for the Defense of Rio Cobre (El Movimiento Campesino en Defensa del Río Cobre)


image by Jaume Ollé, 27 July 2005

The MOCAMDERCO is a local movement protesting against the waste of the hydraulic resources of Río Cobre. Río Cobre is the biggest river in central Panamá (province of Veraguas). The MOCAMDERCO fight against a project of hydro-electric power plant ran by the company "Hidroeléctrica Estrechos S.A.", which would ruin the environment of Río Cobre and despoil the local inhabitants of their main natural resource. The endangered zone is called "Los Estrechos del Río Cobre". The MOCAMDERCO organized its first public demonstration on 18 June 2003 in Puente del Río Cobre. Photographes at Caritas Panamá website taken during this demonstration show a flag similar to the one shown above.
Photographies taken during another demonstration on the same place on 12 October 2003 shows a  different flag: the blue representation of the river is bigger, there are three stars instead of two and the lettering is different (MOCAM instead of MOVIMIENTO CAMPESINO on the top of the flag).
This very same flag seems to have been used during a demonstration held in Panamá city on 20 January 2004as seen at MOCAMDERCO website.
Ivan Sache, 7 October 2006