Panamanian V.P. speaks on campus

Proclaiming "the wave of the future is liberty," Ricardo Arias Calderon, the first vice president of the Republic of Panama, described his country's transition from dictatorship to democracy in an impassioned speech at the Law School yesterday afternoon. In an hour-long address to over 120 people, Calderon eloquently related the series of events which saw a 21-year-old dictatorship overthrown and a new democracy, led by President Guillermo Endara, installed in its place. Last December, the U.S. invaded Panama and brought an end to the regime of Manuel Noriega. The transition to a democracy has been largely successful, Calderon said, but it has not been easy. He repeatedly used the word "trauma" to describe the chaotic developments which preceded Noriega's removal from power. Calderon focused much of his speech on what he called the four basic dimensions of transition: political transition, demilitarization, economic transformation, and integration within the international community. Calderon added that the first task of the new Panamanian government is to establish "the basic institutions of democracy." Yet he also pointed out that "democracy is not simply a set of institutions" and that there must be an accompanying change of attitudes in order for democracy to be successful. These attitudes must be rooted in the "reasonable exercise of liberty." Another major task facing the new government is the dismantling of Noriega's military system, Calderon said, adding that "the army of dictatorship can't suddenly become the army of democracy." But he added that the greatest challenge will be in the economic dimension of this transition saying there is a need to improve the condition of the nearly 50 percent of all Panamanians who live in poverty. Students and administrators lauded his speech saying he provided the audience with a personal view of a world situation. "He was a very insightful and eloquent speaker who provided the whole room with a lot of inspiration," said Susan Brodsky, a third-year Law student. "The last two years has revealed so many people around the world with extraordinary courage and eloquence," said Law Dean Colin Diver. "We've been quite privileged to have had one of them with us today." The speech, entitled "The Process of Transition in Panama," was jointly sponsored by Dean Diver, the Council of Student Representatives, and The Latin American Law Students Association.

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