A First Lady’s brief farewell

PANAMA. The departing First Lady, Vivian Torrijos got upset when La Estrella de Panama asked her questions about the statues that disappeared from Parque Omar.

Torrijos said that she did not have anything to do with that business and that the investigations were totally transparent.

The First Lady wanted to talk about her future plans once she leaves the presidency and her conversations with Marta de Martinelli.

Mrs Torrijos is looking forward to returning to her private life and go back to her profession in advertising as well as taking a more active role in the UNICEF programs.

Last year she was appointed special envoy to fight for the rights of handicapped people. “Once I leave the Presidency I am going to work formally with them, helping to obtain the ratification of an agreement in respect of the disabled that has not been ratified by certain countries in the region,” said Torrijos.

Talking about the most difficult part of her job as first lady, Torrijos said that was living with poverty. “I realized that poverty is invisible for many people and that the reality of my country is totally different than my original perception. It has been a learning curve and we have to overcome many obstacle to be able to carry out project and effective programs. I came to an office that was not properly structured and where no project with real impact could survive.”

Torrijos said that her biggest regret was not to be able to give more help to the Ministries of Health and Education. “I would have liked to leave the population a reproductive and sexual health law, that would allow the youth in schools to discuss that subject without any taboos. Unfortunately, minority groups did not allow an open debate and the communication was limited.”

She expressed her doubts that the a sexual education bill would be discussed again, mainly because the people who form the social cabinet do not believe in that subject.

The First Lady said that so far she has had six meetings with the President elect’s wife, Marta Martinelli to discuss the current programs that her office has been carrying out over the last five years.

The interview was suspended by Mrs Torrijos after seven minutes once la Estrella started to ask questions about her husband’s party defeat in the general elections.