Martín Torrijos Facts for Kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Torrijos and the second or maternal family name is Espino.

Quick facts for kids Martín Torrijos


35th President of Panama
In office September 1, 2004 – July 1, 2009
Vice President	Samuel Lewis Navarro Rubén Arosemena
Preceded by	Mireya Moscoso
Succeeded by	Ricardo Martinelli

Personal details
Born	Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino (1963-07-18) July 18, 1963 (age 61) Chitré, Panama
Political party	Democratic Revolutionary Party
Spouse	Vivian Fernández
Alma mater	Texas A&M University
Occupation	Economist, politician

Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino (born July 18, 1963) is a Panamanian politician. He served as the President of Panama from 2004 to 2009.

Martín Torrijos is the son of Omar Torrijos. His father was a military leader who guided Panama from 1968 to 1981. Martín Torrijos studied economics and political science in the United States. After his studies, he returned to Panama. He became active in the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD).

He ran for president in 1999 but lost to Mireya Moscoso. In the 2004 election, he ran again as the PRD candidate. This time, he won against Guillermo Endara. During his time as president, Torrijos made changes to social security and pensions. He also proposed and passed a large project to expand the Panama Canal. Ricardo Martinelli became president after him in 2009. Martín Torrijos is also a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, a group that discusses important issues in the Americas. He is currently a presidential candidate for the People's Party in the 2024 general elections.

Early Life and Education
Early Political Career
Presidential Campaigns
Presidency (2004–2009)
Foreign Honours
See also

Early Life and Education

Martín Torrijos is the son of Omar Torrijos. His father was a strong leader and social reformer in Panama. Omar Torrijos led the country from 1968 until he died in a plane crash in 1981. Martín was born in Chitré, Herrera. His father publicly recognized him when he was a teenager.

Martín Torrijos went to St. John's Northwestern Military Academy in Wisconsin, USA. He then studied political science and economics at Texas A&M University in Texas. While in the United States, he also worked in Chicago. He managed a McDonald's restaurant there.

Early Political Career

During the presidency of Ernesto Pérez Balladares (1994–1999), Torrijos worked as a deputy minister. He was in charge of interior and justice matters. One important action he took was signing a law. This law allowed private companies to manage Panama's water services. However, this law was not popular with the public. So, the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) later changed it back.

Presidential Campaigns

After a plan to allow the current president to run again failed, Torrijos was chosen. He became the candidate for the PRD in the 1999 general election. He aimed to bring back voters who felt left out. His main opponent was Mireya Moscoso. She was the widow of a former Panamanian president. Her husband, Arnulfo Arias, had been removed from power by a military coup. This coup had brought Torrijos's father, Omar, to power.

Moscoso promised to support education and reduce poverty. She also wanted to slow down the process of privatizing government services. Torrijos often spoke about his father's legacy during his campaign. He used the slogan "Omar lives." However, Torrijos and his party faced challenges. There were some issues from the previous government. Moscoso won the election with 45% of the votes. Torrijos received 37%.

Torrijos ran for president again in the 2004 election. His campaign focused on making democracy stronger. He also wanted to create a free trade agreement with the United States. A popular musician and politician, Ruben Blades, supported him. Torrijos later made Blades the country's tourism minister. Torrijos's main opponent was Guillermo Endara. Endara had been president from 1990 to 1994. Endara promised to reduce crime and government corruption. Torrijos won the election with 47% of the votes. Endara finished second with 31%.

Before leaving office, President Moscoso made a controversial decision. She pardoned four men who had been convicted of a plot. This caused some international disagreement. Cuba and Venezuela reacted strongly to this decision. Moscoso said she made the pardons because she did not trust the incoming Torrijos government.

Presidency (2004–2009)

Martín Torrijos and George W. Bush in the Oval Office, February 16, 2007

In May 2005, Torrijos's government suggested changes to the pension system. This included increasing payments and raising the retirement age. These changes aimed to help pay off the country's growing foreign debt. The ideas led to protests, strikes, and student actions. Because of this, the plan to raise the retirement age was put on hold. After discussions with religious and union leaders, Torrijos also delayed social security reforms. However, he successfully passed a reform measure later in his term.

Torrijos also delayed plans for a major expansion of the Panama Canal. He waited until 2006 to propose it. In April of that year, he presented the plan. He called it "probably the most important decision of this generation." The expansion was designed to double the canal's shipping ability. It would also allow larger ships, like oil tankers and cruise ships, to pass through. The project was expected to cost $5 billion. The public approved the plan in a vote on October 22, 2006. About 78% of voters supported it.

In November 2006, Torrijos supported a meeting about Puerto Rico's independence. He strongly urged the United States to recognize Puerto Rico as an independent nation. His government also opposed a plan to build a road through the Darién Gap. This area connects Panama and Colombia. Torrijos's administration believed the road could harm the region's ecotourism.

In 2007, Torrijos worked with the US government to create a trade agreement. This was called the Panama–United States Trade Promotion Agreement. It was approved in Panama. However, it faced problems in the US Congress. This was because a member of Torrijos's party, Pedro Miguel González Pinzón, was elected to lead the National Assembly. This person had faced legal issues in the US. Some US Congress members said they would oppose the trade deal until he was no longer in that position. Torrijos privately asked González Pinzón to step down. The trade deal was finally approved after Torrijos left office. It was ratified under his successor, Ricardo Martinelli.

By the end of his term, Torrijos was popular again. However, Panama's constitution does not allow presidents to serve two terms in a row. So, his party nominated Balbina Herrera to run in 2009. She lost to Ricardo Martinelli, who owned a supermarket chain.