Eric Arturo Delvalle
Who was Eric Arturo Delvalle?
Panamanian politician who served as President of Panama from 1985 to 1988 during a turbulent period in the country's political history.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Eric Arturo Delvalle (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Eric Arturo Delvalle Cohen-Henríquez was born on February 2, 1937, in Panama City, Panama, into a well-known Sephardic Jewish family with deep roots in the country's business and political life. He pursued his education in the United States at Louisiana State University before returning to Panama to work in business and eventually politics. His background in commerce and his family's status in Panamanian society helped him rise in the country's political scene during the late 20th century.
Delvalle became nationally recognized when he was chosen as Vice President of Panama under President Nicolás Ardito Barletta, who came to power following the controversial 1984 elections. These elections were widely seen as fraudulent and were overshadowed by the growing power of General Manuel Noriega, who essentially controlled the armed forces and much of the country's political system. When Barletta was forced to resign in September 1985 under pressure from Noriega, Delvalle became president on September 28, 1985.
His time as president was dominated by the strong and destabilizing presence of Noriega, who held real power while civilian presidents operated largely under his influence. Delvalle tried to exert executive power in February 1988, announcing on national television that he was removing Noriega from his position as the head of the Panama Defense Forces. This was a direct challenge to one of the most entrenched military figures in the region, and the response was swift. Within hours, the Noriega-controlled Legislative Assembly voted to remove Delvalle from office and replace him with Manuel Solís Palma.
Refusing to accept his removal, Delvalle went into hiding in Panama and continued to claim the presidency. The United States government recognized his position and allowed his administration to maintain control over Panamanian assets in American banks. This recognition had important practical effects, as it blocked Panama's access to significant funds and increased economic pressure on the Noriega regime. Delvalle eventually went into exile, continuing to operate as a government-in-hiding with American support.
Eric Arturo Delvalle died on October 2, 2015, in Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of 78. His presidency, though brief and conducted largely under military control, placed him at the center of one of the most tumultuous times in modern Panamanian history, which led to the United States military invasion of Panama in December 1989 and the removal of Manuel Noriega from power.
Before Fame
Eric Delvalle was born into a wealthy Sephardic Jewish family in Panama City, a community that had been important in Panama's business life since the 1800s. Growing up in a country where business and political influence were closely linked, he was exposed early to the networks that shaped national affairs. He went to university abroad, earning a degree from Louisiana State University in the United States, which connected him to an American educational tradition common among Latin American political figures of his generation.
After returning to Panama, Delvalle got involved in business and joined the Republican Party, one of the smaller political groups within Panama's complicated multi-party system. His career grew during a time when Panama's politics were increasingly influenced by the military, a trend that had grown stronger after the 1968 coup led by General Omar Torrijos. Navigating this environment required dealing with military power, and Delvalle's rise in the political system showed his ability to work within these limits.
Key Achievements
- Served as Vice President of Panama under President Nicolás Ardito Barletta beginning in 1984.
- Assumed the presidency of Panama on 28 September 1985 following Barletta's forced resignation.
- Attempted to remove General Manuel Noriega as head of the armed forces in February 1988, a direct challenge to military authority with no precedent in the Noriega era.
- Retained recognition from the United States government as Panama's legitimate president after his legislative removal, enabling the freezing of Panamanian state funds held in American financial institutions.
- Contributed to the sustained international and economic pressure on the Noriega regime that preceded the 1989 United States military intervention.
Did You Know?
- 01.Delvalle is one of the few heads of state in Latin American history to have been deposed by his own legislature within hours of attempting to fire a military commander.
- 02.After his removal from office, the United States continued to recognize Delvalle as Panama's legitimate president, allowing him to freeze approximately 50 million dollars in Panamanian government funds held in American banks.
- 03.He delivered his announcement dismissing General Noriega during a nationally televised address in February 1988, a move that surprised many observers given how thoroughly Noriega controlled the country's security apparatus.
- 04.Delvalle was of Sephardic Jewish heritage, making him one of the very few people of Jewish background to have served as a head of state in Latin America.
- 05.He spent the period following his ouster living clandestinely inside Panama before eventually going into exile, all while maintaining a rival claim to the presidency with Washington's diplomatic backing.