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attitude toward government expenditures on public works. Unlike some of Panama's
other parties, it is a genuine opposition party in the sense that it regards itself as a
genuine competitor of the PLU for power in the state. Once in power it would probably
continue the public works program, the manifestations of hostility to foreigners, and
the dickering on the defense-sites problem, along with many other characteristic
policies of the Jiménez Administration. It might even launch a broader program of
social reform than that now under way. The party has nominated José Fabrega as
its candidate for 1948.
e. The Popular Union Party (Partido Union Popular).
This is smaller than Panama's other parties although it claims the 7,500 ad-
herents the law requires for participation in Presidential elections. It addresses itself
to simple folk in the provinces by denouncing the "evil plutocracy" in the capital where
"Arnulfo Arias, the Nazi, public enemy No. 1 of the Government," affirms PUP's leader,
Dr. Sergio Gonzalez Ruiz, "walks arm in arm with Don Enrique Jiménez, the Liberal
President, while they defend the interests of democracy." Since, however, the grip
of Panama City and Colón upon the country's politics seems secure, these appeals are
not likely to be heeded within the predictable future.
f. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista).
Led by a political adventurer named Demetrio Porras, the Socialist Party makes
its influence felt through the so-called "League of Tenants and Wage Earners." Most
middle and lower-class Panamanians are tenants, and the rents they pay for the
miserable dwellings they occupy are, by any standard, high. Porras has recognized
and exploited the resultant widespread popular resentment by inciting the tenants to
civil disobedience. In this way he has won a popularity that makes him a factor to
be reckoned with in Panamanian politics. At the same time, as a pleader for tenants
in rent cases, he has won a considerable reputation as a lawyer. There is some evidence
that he has, on occasion, accepted financial support from Moscow, but there is reason
to believe that he is swayed primarily by considerations of local political advantage.
As Panamanian Ambassador to London he has been to all intents and purposes a
political exile, and has therefore been unable to continue his campaign against the
landlords. His party has consequently lost strength, SO that it now holds only two
seats in the National Assembly. However, with Porras now back in Panama and a
probable candidate for President on the Socialist Party ticket, the movement he leads
can fairly be expected to begin to attract sizable numbers of new followers.
g. The People's Party (Partido del Pueblo).
With only 375 to 400 active members, the People's Party is technically not a
party at all. As the successor to the Panamanian Communist Party, which went out of
existence in 1943, it maintains close relations with Lombardo Toledano's CTAL in
Mexico, with Vanguardia Popular in Costa Rica, with the Democratic Socialist Party
in Colombia, and with other Communist and Communist-front organizations in Latin
America. The leadership of Local 713 of UPWA-CIO in the Canal Zone is known to
look upon the party with, to say the least, a friendly attitude. Celso Solano and
I-5
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"ocrText": "SECRET\nattitude toward government expenditures on public works. Unlike some of Panama's\nother parties, it is a genuine opposition party in the sense that it regards itself as a\ngenuine competitor of the PLU for power in the state. Once in power it would probably\ncontinue the public works program, the manifestations of hostility to foreigners, and\nthe dickering on the defense-sites problem, along with many other characteristic\npolicies of the Jiménez Administration. It might even launch a broader program of\nsocial reform than that now under way. The party has nominated José Fabrega as\nits candidate for 1948.\ne. The Popular Union Party (Partido Union Popular).\nThis is smaller than Panama's other parties although it claims the 7,500 ad-\nherents the law requires for participation in Presidential elections. It addresses itself\nto simple folk in the provinces by denouncing the \"evil plutocracy\" in the capital where\n\"Arnulfo Arias, the Nazi, public enemy No. 1 of the Government,\" affirms PUP's leader,\nDr. Sergio Gonzalez Ruiz, \"walks arm in arm with Don Enrique Jiménez, the Liberal\nPresident, while they defend the interests of democracy.\" Since, however, the grip\nof Panama City and Colón upon the country's politics seems secure, these appeals are\nnot likely to be heeded within the predictable future.\nf. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista).\nLed by a political adventurer named Demetrio Porras, the Socialist Party makes\nits influence felt through the so-called \"League of Tenants and Wage Earners.\" Most\nmiddle and lower-class Panamanians are tenants, and the rents they pay for the\nmiserable dwellings they occupy are, by any standard, high. Porras has recognized\nand exploited the resultant widespread popular resentment by inciting the tenants to\ncivil disobedience. In this way he has won a popularity that makes him a factor to\nbe reckoned with in Panamanian politics. At the same time, as a pleader for tenants\nin rent cases, he has won a considerable reputation as a lawyer. There is some evidence\nthat he has, on occasion, accepted financial support from Moscow, but there is reason\nto believe that he is swayed primarily by considerations of local political advantage.\nAs Panamanian Ambassador to London he has been to all intents and purposes a\npolitical exile, and has therefore been unable to continue his campaign against the\nlandlords. His party has consequently lost strength, SO that it now holds only two\nseats in the National Assembly. However, with Porras now back in Panama and a\nprobable candidate for President on the Socialist Party ticket, the movement he leads\ncan fairly be expected to begin to attract sizable numbers of new followers.\ng. The People's Party (Partido del Pueblo).\nWith only 375 to 400 active members, the People's Party is technically not a\nparty at all. As the successor to the Panamanian Communist Party, which went out of\nexistence in 1943, it maintains close relations with Lombardo Toledano's CTAL in\nMexico, with Vanguardia Popular in Costa Rica, with the Democratic Socialist Party\nin Colombia, and with other Communist and Communist-front organizations in Latin\nAmerica. The leadership of Local 713 of UPWA-CIO in the Canal Zone is known to\nlook upon the party with, to say the least, a friendly attitude. Celso Solano and\nI-5"
}