US embassy cable - 04PANAMA1146

UNCLAS PANAMA 001146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN/BRIGHAM AND INR/B 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PM, POLITICS & FOREIGN POLICY 
SUBJECT: PANAMA: BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ON FIRST LADY 
VIVIAN FERNANDEZ DE TORRIJOS 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Panamanians widely hold Vivian Fernandez de 
Torrijos, wife of President-elect Martin Torrijos, in high 
regard.  She is well known for her active role in charitable 
and social work, as well as being a model mother and wife. 
Vivian Torrijos is an accomplished publicist and has worked 
for her father's advertising company (Publicis Fergo).  She 
is also the founder and President of Agencia para el 
Desarrollo (ACDE), a Panamanian NGO that promotes development 
in poor Panamanian communities, both metropolitan and rural. 
Because of her passionate commitment to Panama's social 
welfare, Ms. Torrijos has been successful in uniting women to 
work with her on educational, healthcare, environmental, and 
cultural programs. 
 
 
2.  (SBU) Ms. Torrijos has made supporting her husband's 
political career a priority.  She actively supported his 
losing 1999 presidential campaign and his triumphant 2004 
campaign.  She claims not to have political ambitions of her 
own (although many Panamanians believe she has the "common 
touch" to succeed as a politician).  Ms. Torrijos has stated 
that as First Lady she will continue to support her husband 
in all aspects of his presidency, especially on social 
issues.  She has focused on ensuring school accessibility and 
the right to an education for all Panamanians, especially the 
poor and children with special needs.  Ms. Torrijos told La 
Prensa that she would support creating an entire section of 
the Panamanian Ministry of Education that would be dedicated 
solely to working with special education issues. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Born March 25, 1966, Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos 
is the youngest of five children of Antonio and Hilda 
Fernandez.  Antonio Fernandez, better known in Panama under 
the pseudonym "Tony Fergo" as a popular composer/singer and 
publicist, is a naturalized Panamanian citizen born in Cuba. 
Ms. Torrijos married Martin Torrijos Espino in 1990, and they 
have three children (Daniela Maria, Martin Omar and Nicolas 
Antonio).  Ms. Torrijos attended middle and high school at 
the Panamanian chapter of the all-girls Catholic school 
Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Colegio de Las 
Esclavas del Sagrado Corazon).  Ms. Torrijos earned a 
bachelors in Business Administration from Florida State 
University and Nova University, both in Panama City.  She 
speaks English well. 
 
 
MCMULLEN