politics

President discussions slated

Opposition party leaders will be meeting this week to attempt to reach a consensus of which party would be best able to defeat the incumbent Partido Revolucionario Democrático in the 2009 presidential elections.

Guillermo Ford, president of the Unión Patriótica party, will be meeting this week with the Panameñista party candidate Alberto Vallarino. Ford said there is little time left to forge an alliance because many parties are getting ready to nominate candidates.

Ford also plans to meet this week with Vanguardia Moral de la Patria party President Guillermo Endara.

Movimiento Liberal Republicano Nacionalista (Molirena) party officials said they have not scheduled any meetings with officials from other parties. They plan on forming a committee to study the issue.

Molirena President Sergio González Ruiz said that any of the five members of the commission will be able to meet with representatives from other parties.

The person who may have to most at stake in an opposition coalition is Ricardo Martinelli, president of the Cambio Democrático party. He has emerged as the most popular opposition candidate in early polls. He said that he has had preliminary discussions with Molirena and Unión Patriótica officials.

Meanwhile, former President Mireya Moscoso is expected to make a major announcement this week in regard to the upcoming election.