Ricardo de la Espriella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ricardo de la Espriella
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| President of Panama | |
| In office 31 July 1982 – 13 February 1984 |
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| Vice President | Jorge Illueca (1982-1984) |
| Preceded by | Aristides Royo |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Illueca |
| Vice President of Panama | |
| In office 11 October 1978 – 31 July 1982 |
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| Preceded by | Gerardo González Vernaza |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Illueca |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ricardo de la Espriella Toral
5 September 1934 Panama City, Panama |
| Political party | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Spouse | Mercedes Martinez |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Panama University |
Ricardo de la Espriella Toral, born on 5 September 1934, is a Panamanian politician. He served as the President of Panama from 31 July 1982 to 13 February 1984.
Early Career and Rise to Power
Ricardo de la Espriella is an expert in economics, having studied at Stanford University. Before becoming president, he was the general manager of the National Bank of Panama from 1970 to 1978.
In 1978, he became the Vice President of Panama. This happened when the powerful National Guard, which was Panama's military force, asked the then-President Aristides Royo to step down. The National Guard saw Royo as a threat and wanted him out before his term ended.
De la Espriella was a skilled financial manager. Because of this, the National Guard saw him as someone who would not challenge their power. He even called them "a partner in power." This meant that de la Espriella was seen by some as a "puppet" president. A puppet president is someone who holds the title but is largely controlled by others. He remained in this role while Manuel Noriega gained more power within the National Guard.
Time as President of Panama
When Ricardo de la Espriella became the temporary president, Commander Rubén Darío Paredes of the National Guard quickly took action. He ordered that some Panamanian newspapers be closed down. One of these was La Prensa, which was known for speaking out about important issues. Paredes also ordered attacks on the newspaper's offices.
In August 1982, President de la Espriella formed a new group of government leaders, called a cabinet. This cabinet included people who were not part of a specific party, along with members of the Liberal Party and the Democratic Revolutionary Party. Jorge Illueca, who had been Royo's foreign minister, became the new vice president. Later, in December 1982, Manuel Noriega took over as the chief of staff for the National Guard.
During this time, Panama had what was called a "democratic façade." This means it looked like a democracy on the outside, but the military still held a lot of control. In July 1983, President Ronald Reagan of the United States sent a letter to de la Espriella. This letter was about a meeting de la Espriella had with the presidents of Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela in Cancún. These four leaders were known as the "Contadora Group" and worked to bring peace to Central America. Reagan's letter also listed what the United States expected from this group.
De la Espriella was often in the news. He appeared in magazines like Time and Newsweek. One photo from 1983 showed him sitting next to then-Vice President George H. W. Bush, with a young Manuel Noriega also present. This picture suggested that de la Espriella often acted as a go-between or explainer when Noriega was around.
By 1984, the National Defense Forces (the military) put pressure on de la Espriella. His friends said he was told to change his cabinet to include people who supported a certain candidate for the next election. Many believed he stepped down to prevent the election from being unfair. Others thought the military forced him out by threatening him personally.
According to a book called In the Time of Tyrants, de la Espriella was given a list of new people for his cabinet but he refused to appoint them. On 13 February, he was with his family in Chiriquí Province. Noriega sent a plane to bring him to an urgent meeting in Panama City. Only de la Espriella, Noriega, and Roberto Díaz Herrera were there. Díaz Herrera spoke, while Noriega watched. When asked why he hadn't made the appointments, de la Espriella said, "They weren't good for the country." He wanted to end his time as president with some dignity. However, Díaz Herrera then said, "You should think of your family... do you know where they are?"
Ricardo de la Espriella resigned immediately after this.
Images for kids
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Ricardo de la Espriella
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo de la Espriella para niños
