On October 11, 1968, a group of Panamanian National Guard officers ousted that nation’s president, Arnulfo Arias. Thus began two decades of military rule in a nation unaccustomed to military dictators. As Robert C. Harding points out, the 1968 putsch also marked the beginning of an important period of changes in Panama’s political climate—changes that have outlasted the military regime.
Military Foundations of Panamanian Politics examines the “Panamanian military’s politicization and the resultant changes in the country’s political system” (p. 3). Following a brief introductory narrative, the text moves quickly to the 1940s and the fascinating antics of the former police commander–turned-president, José Antonio Remón.
Much of the remainder of the text deals with the short- and long-term effects of the 1968 coup, and herein lies the strength of this monograph. In 1972 Panama’s National Assembly adopted a new constitution that named General Omar Torrijos “Jefe Máximo de la Revolución...
