Juan Carlos Varela facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan Carlos Varela
Varela in 2014
37th President of Panama
In office 1 July 2014 – 1 July 2019
Vice President	Isabel Saint Malo
Preceded by	Ricardo Martinelli
Succeeded by	Laurentino Cortizo
Vice President of Panama
In office 1 July 2009 – 1 July 2014
President	Ricardo Martinelli
Preceded by	Samuel Lewis Navarro
Succeeded by	Isabel Saint Malo
Minister of Foreign Relations
In office 1 July 2009 – 30 August 2011
President	Ricardo Martinelli
Preceded by	Samuel Lewis Navarro
Succeeded by	Roberto Henriquez
Personal details
Born	Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez (1963-12-12) 12 December 1963 (age 61) Panama City, Panama
Political party	Panameñista Party
Spouse	Lorena Castillo ​ (m. 1992)​
Alma mater	Georgia Institute of Technology (BS)
Signature

Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez (born 13 December 1963) is a businessman from Panama. He used to be a politician. He served as the 37th president of Panama from 2014 to 2019. Before becoming president, Varela was the vice president of Panama from 2009 to 2014. He also served as the Minister of Foreign Relations from 2009 to 2011. He was part of President Ricardo Martinelli's government during that time. Varela led the Panameñista Party, which was one of the biggest political parties in Panama, from 2006 to 2016.

Varela won the 2014 presidential election. He received more than 39% of the votes. He ran against the candidate from the Cambio Democrático Party, José Domingo Arias. Varela became president on 1 July 2014.

Early Life and School

Juan Carlos Varela was born in Panama City. His parents were Luis José Varela Arjona and Bexie Esther Rodríguez Pedreschi. His family comes from Herrera Province. Varela's grandfather, José Varela Blanco, moved to Panama from Spain. He settled in a place called Pesé.

After finishing school at Colegio Javier, Juan Carlos Varela went to college in the United States. He studied at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1985, he earned a degree in Industrial Engineering.

Varela's Career in Business and Politics

Styles of Juan Carlos Varela
Reference style	His Excellency
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Alternative style	Sir

Varela meets with United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in 2018.

Juan Carlos Varela started working in his family's business in 1986. He was an Executive Vice-President at Varela Hermanos S.A. until 2008.

He began his political career in the early 1990s. In 1994, he became the head of the Panameñista Party's election campaign. In the 2009 election, Varela was the Panameñista Party's candidate for president. However, he decided to team up with his opponent, Ricardo Martinelli. Varela became the vice-presidential candidate.

On 1 July 2009, he was sworn in as the Vice-President of Panama under President Martinelli. Later, Varela won the 2014 presidential election. He won against José Domingo Arias, who was supported by the outgoing president's party. Varela received about 39% of the votes. He announced that he wanted to make changes to the country's laws.

Personal Life

Cross pro merito Melitensi

Juan Carlos Varela's parents are José Varela and Beixie Rodríguez. In 1992, he married Lorena Castillo. She is a journalist from Panama.

See also

In Spanish: Juan Carlos Varela para niños

• Politics of Panama
• Elections in Panama
• List of heads of state of Panama

External Sources

• Vicepresidente de Panamá · Presidencia.gob.pa
• Toma de posesión Juan Carlos Varela
• Biography of Juan Carlos Varela
• Twitter: Juan Carlos Varela
• Facebook: Juan Carlos Varela
• Website: Juan Carlos Varela
• Biography by CIDOB