Panamá 2007: Crecimiento económico, combustión social y catalepsia institucional

stimulated by strong international demand for the country’s goods and services, in 2007 panama’s economy grew by 9,5%, the region’s highest growth rate. this economic boom, however, occurs in the midst of a sensitive social situation, which the political system, inherited from the military dictatorship, does not seem capable of handling. the administration of president martín torrijos has operated successfully according to the formal and informal rules of that system, including clientelism and the concentration of power in the executive, to the detriment of political accountability. the government’s incapacity to tackle the country’s social debt, however, could contribute to bring about significant problems in the near future.