What Happened
Former President Martín Torrijos has launched a new political party, Unidos para la Nueva Era, or UNE, setting up an early move in Panama’s race toward the 2029 general elections. The presentation took place at the Megapolis Convention Center in Panama City, where supporters, former allies, and several well-known political figures gathered in a highly choreographed event built around renewal, organization, and a direct appeal to voters disillusioned with the current political climate.
Torrijos, who governed Panama from 2004 to 2009, framed UNE as a national alternative rather than a personal vehicle. He said the country needs a different kind of politics at a time when corruption, inequality, and public frustration have weakened confidence in institutions. The event mixed modern branding, young presenters, and messages about citizen participation with the unmistakable presence of veteran figures from Panama’s political past.
The Faces Around UNE
The launch made clear that Torrijos is trying to build a broad coalition quickly. Among those present were ex-PRD leader and former lawmaker Luis “Lucho” Gómez, former ministers Héctor Alemán, Edwin Salamín and Salvador Rodríguez, former PRD president Francisco Sánchez Cárdenas, former deputy Elías Castillo, former comptroller Dani Kuzniecky, former health minister Rosario Turner, and former Supreme Court magistrate Adán Arjona.
That lineup reflects a central tension in Torrijos’ strategy. UNE is being presented as a fresh start, yet it is anchored by people with long experience in the political system, especially the PRD orbit that dominated much of Panama’s politics for decades. Torrijos himself spent most of his political life in the PRD, the party founded by his father, General Omar Torrijos Herrera, in 1979 during the military era. The contrast between novelty and continuity was visible throughout the launch and is likely to remain a defining theme as UNE seeks to grow.
Why Torrijos Is Returning Now
Torrijos said he has reflected on his time in office and on the shortcomings of his earlier political journey. He also pointed to his 2024 presidential run, when he competed under the Popular Party and finished third behind José Raúl Mulino, who won under the Realizando Metas banner. This new party gives Torrijos a structure of his own after years of moving between political platforms.
In his remarks, Torrijos argued that Panama is facing a serious national crossroads and that inaction is not an option. He criticized what he described as two decades in which corruption became normalized and said the country must recover a sense of public purpose. His language placed UNE in the broader debate over distrust in politics, an issue that has shaped recent elections and public discussion across Panama.
The Issues He Put on the Table
Torrijos used the launch to put forward a series of issues he says UNE will prioritize, including education, employment, health, security, water supply, and anti-corruption. He also backed a national plebiscite on the mining issue, arguing that a decision of that scale should not be imposed from above. On the water crisis, he described the situation as unacceptable and said the state, the Panama Canal Authority, and the private sector must be part of the solution.
His closing message was that UNE “is born with a vocation for power” and will prepare to compete seriously in 2029. Before that, the movement faces a legal test: it must collect at least 45,503 signatures for the Electoral Tribunal to recognize it as a legally constituted party. That threshold will determine whether Torrijos’ comeback becomes a viable national project or remains a political announcement.
For Panama, the launch signals that the 2029 campaign is already taking shape well ahead of schedule. It also reopens debate over whether former leaders can successfully rebrand themselves in a political environment increasingly shaped by public frustration, demands for accountability, and voters’ appetite for alternatives.