Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
Encyclopedia
Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón (March 2, 1905 in Panama City
- March 1, 1981) was the President of Panama in 1949 and from 1960 to 1964. He belonged to the Liberal Party
.
's vice presidents and briefly served as acting president in 1949. He lost the presidential elections of 1952. He was president of his Liberal Party for the next 8 years.
His administration is most remembered by the historic international events of January 9, 1964, known today as Martyrs' Day
. That day during a schuffle between Panamanian students and American students to raise a Panamanian flag next to an U.S. flag on Balboa High School the Panamanian flag was torn. This flag desecration
sparked four days of fights between civilians and the US Army. Twenty-two Panamanians died. Chiari made the decision to break diplomatic relations with the United States
, being Panama
the first LatinAmerican country to make this call. From this patriotic stand, he starts the negotiations that eventually made possible the Torrijos-Carter Treaties
on 1977, that end the Canal Zone
and handover the Panama Canal
to Panama
on noon of December 31, 1999. For these actions, Chiari is known in Panama as el presidente de la dignidad (The President of Dignity).
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
- March 1, 1981) was the President of Panama in 1949 and from 1960 to 1964. He belonged to the Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Panama)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal party in Panama. At the last legislative elections, 2 May 2004, the party won 5.2 % of the popular vote and 3 out of 78 seats...
.
Before being president
He was president of the Chamber of Commerce. He worked in the sugar company of his family with his father and brothers. He was the only one of his brothers that was interested on politics. He was elected to the National Assembly on 1940. During the Ricardo de la Guardia administration he was Minister of Health and Public Works. He was one of Domingo Díaz ArosemenaDomingo Díaz Arosemena
Domingo Díaz Arosemena was Panamanian politician.Díaz Arosemena served as Vice President from 1932 to 1936 and as President of Panama from August 7, 1948 to July 28, 1949. He suffered a heart attack while in office and resigned, dying less than a month later. He belonged to the Liberal Party....
's vice presidents and briefly served as acting president in 1949. He lost the presidential elections of 1952. He was president of his Liberal Party for the next 8 years.
How was he elected
He was elected in clean elections on 1960. He was campaigning against Ricardo Arias and Victor Goytia.His administration
His government worked hard on the education sector. The General Hospital of the Social Security was inaugurated and an extensive vaccination program was developed.His administration is most remembered by the historic international events of January 9, 1964, known today as Martyrs' Day
Martyrs' Day
Martyrs' Day is a Panamanian holiday which commemorates the January 9, 1964 riots over sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone. The riot started after a Panamanian flag was torn during conflict between Panamanian students and Canal Zone Police officers, over the right of the Panamanian flag to be...
. That day during a schuffle between Panamanian students and American students to raise a Panamanian flag next to an U.S. flag on Balboa High School the Panamanian flag was torn. This flag desecration
Flag desecration
Flag desecration is a term applied to various acts that intentionally destroy, damage or mutilate a flag in public, most often a national flag. Often, such action is intended to make a political point against a country or its policies...
sparked four days of fights between civilians and the US Army. Twenty-two Panamanians died. Chiari made the decision to break diplomatic relations with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, being Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
the first LatinAmerican country to make this call. From this patriotic stand, he starts the negotiations that eventually made possible the Torrijos-Carter Treaties
Torrijos-Carter Treaties
The Torrijos–Carter Treaties are two treaties signed by the United States and Panama in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 1977, which abrogated the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty of 1903...
on 1977, that end the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
and handover the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
on noon of December 31, 1999. For these actions, Chiari is known in Panama as el presidente de la dignidad (The President of Dignity).
After his presidency
After leaving office, he retired from public life and he returns to work in his private companies. He was president of the Industrial Sindicate from 1967 to 1969.Interesting facts
- He was the first Panamanian born after the independence that became President. His father, Rodolfo Chiari, was also President of Panama.
- He was a hard worker. When he was president he arrived to his office at 7 a.m., before than everybody else in the office.
- He donated his salary as President to the Panamanian Red Cross.
- The decision to break diplomatic relations with the U.S. was a decision in which he took the interests of the country before his own, because he then had in jeopardy his economic interests on a Sugar cuota his company exported to the US and the dairy products he sold to the Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. - He died during some Carnivals, but his family rejected that the festivities would be cancelled for mourning. There wasn't even a State Funeral. Chiari died in Panama City on March 1, 1981.