# List of heads of state of Panama

This article lists the heads of state of Panama since the short-lived first independence from the Republic of New Granada in 1840 and the final separation from Colombia in 1903. Since 1904 the head of state of Panama has been the President of Panama.

## List of officeholders
### Status

Symbols
$^†$ Died in office

### Free State of the Isthmus (1840–1841)

| No. | Portrait | President (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title |
| No. | Portrait | President (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Title |
| 1 | | Tomás de Herrera (1804–1854) | 20 March 1841 | 8 June 1841 | 80 days | Superior Chief of State |
| (1) | | Tomás de Herrera (1804–1854) | 8 June 1841 | 31 December 1841 | 206 days | President |

### Republic of Panama (1903–present)

President of the Municipal Council of Panama and de facto President (1903) :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political Party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political Party |
| 3 | | Demetrio H. Brid (1859–1917) | 3 November 1903 | 4 November 1903 | 1 day | PC |
Members of the Provisional Government Junta (1903–1904) :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political Party |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political Party |
| 4 | | José Agustín Arango (1841–1909) | 4 November 1903 | 20 February 1904 | 108 days | PLN |
| 5 | | Tomás Arias (1856–1932) | 4 November 1903 | 20 February 1904 | 108 days | Independent |
| 6 | | Federico Boyd (1851–1924) | 4 November 1903 | 20 February 1904 | 108 days | PLN |
| 7 | | Manuel Espinosa Batista (1857–1919) | 9 November 1903 | 7 December 1903 | 28 days | PLN |
Presidents of Panama (1904–present) :
| No. | Portrait | President (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political Party |
| No. | Portrait | President (Birth–Death) | Elected | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political Party |
| 1 | | Manuel Amador Guerrero (1833–1909) First tenure | 1904 | 20 February 1904 | 23 June 1907 | 3 years, 123 days | PC |
| 2 | | José Domingo de Obaldía (1845–1910) First tenure | — | 24 June 1907 | 27 December 1907 | 186 days | PLN |
| (1) | | Manuel Amador Guerrero (1833–1909) Second tenure | — | 29 December 1907 | 1 October 1908 | 277 days | PC |
| (2) | | José Domingo de Obaldía (1845–1910) Second tenure | 1908 | 1 October 1908 | 1 March 1910 | 1 year, 151 days | PLN |
| — | | Carlos Antonio Mendoza (1856–1916) Acting President | — | 1 March 1910 | 1 October 1910 | 214 days | PLN |
| — | | Federico Boyd (1851–1924) Acting President | — | 1 October 1910 | 5 October 1910 | 4 days | PLN |
| — | | Pablo Arosemena (1836–1920) Acting President | — | 5 October 1910 | 1 October 1912 | 1 year, 362 days | PLN |
| 3 | | Belisario Porras Barahona (1856–1942) First tenure | 1912 | 1 October 1912 | 1 October 1916 | 4 years | PLN |
| 4 | | Ramón Maximiliano Valdés (1867–1918) | 1916 | 1 October 1916 | 3 June 1918 | 1 year, 245 days | PLN |
| — | | Ciro Luis Urriola (1863–1922) Acting President | — | 3 June 1918 | 1 October 1918 | 120 days | PLN |
| — | | Pedro Antonio Díaz (1852–1919) Acting President | — | 1 October 1918 | 12 October 1918 | 11 days | PC |
| (3) | | Belisario Porras Barahona (1856–1942) Second tenure | 1918 | 12 October 1918 | 30 January 1920 | 1 year, 110 days | PLN |
| — | | Ernesto Tisdel Lefevre (1876–1922) Acting President | — | 30 January 1920 | 1 October 1920 | 245 days | PLN |
| (3) | | Belisario Porras Barahona (1856–1942) Third tenure | 1920 | 1 October 1920 | 1 October 1924 | 4 years | PLN |
| 5 | | Rodolfo Chiari (1869–1937) | 1924 | 1 October 1924 | 1 October 1928 | 4 years | PLN |
| 6 | | Florencio Harmodio Arosemena (1872–1945) | 1928 | 1 October 1928 | 3 January 1931 (Deposed in a coup) | 2 years, 94 days | PLN |
| — | | Harmodio Arias Madrid (1886–1963) Acting President | — | 3 January 1931 | 16 January 1931 | 13 days | Independent |
| 7 | | Ricardo Joaquín Alfaro Jované (1882–1971) | — | 16 January 1931 | 5 June 1932 | 1 year, 141 days | PLN |
| 8 | | Harmodio Arias Madrid (1886–1963) | 1932 | 5 June 1932 | 1 October 1936 | 4 years, 118 days | PNR |
| 9 | | Juan Demóstenes Arosemena (1879–1939) | 1936 | 1 October 1936 | 16 December 1939 | 3 years, 76 days | PLN |
| — | | Ezequiel Fernández (1886–1946) Acting President | — | 16 December 1939 | 18 December 1939 | 2 days | PNR |
| — | | Augusto Samuel Boyd (1879–1957) Acting President | — | 18 December 1939 | 1 October 1940 | 288 days | PNR |
| 10 | | Arnulfo Arias (1901–1988) First tenure | 1940 | 1 October 1940 | 9 October 1941 (Deposed in a coup) | 1 year, 8 days | PNR |
| 11 | | Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango (1899–1969) | — | 9 October 1941 | 15 June 1945 | 3 years, 249 days | Independent |
| — | | Enrique Adolfo Jiménez (1888–1970) Provisional president | 1945 | 15 June 1945 | 7 August 1948 | 3 years, 53 days | PLN |
| 12 | | Domingo Díaz Arosemena (1875–1949) | 1948 | 7 August 1948 | 28 July 1949 (Resigned) | 355 days | PLN |
| 13 | | Daniel Chanis Pinzón (1892–1961) | — | 28 July 1949 | 20 November 1949 | 115 days | PLN |
| 14 | | Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón (1905–1981) First tenure | — | 20 November 1949 | 24 November 1949 | 4 days | PLN |
| (10) | | Arnulfo Arias (1901–1988) Second tenure | — | 24 November 1949 | 9 May 1951 | 1 year, 166 days | PP |
| 15 | | Alcibíades Arosemena (1883–1958) | — | 9 May 1951 | 1 October 1952 | 1 year, 145 days | PPA |
| 16 | | José Antonio Remón Cantera (1908–1955) | 1952 | 1 October 1952 | 2 January 1955 (Assassinated) | 2 years, 93 days | CPN |
| 17 | | José Ramón Guizado (1899–1964) | — | 2 January 1955 | 29 March 1955 | 86 days | CPN |
| 18 | | Ricardo Arias (1912–1993) | — | 29 March 1955 | 1 October 1956 | 1 year, 186 days | CPN |
| 19 | | Ernesto de la Guardia (1904–1983) | 1956 | 1 October 1956 | 1 October 1960 | 4 years | CPN |
| (14) | | Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón (1905–1981) Second tenure | 1960 | 1 October 1960 | 17 March 1963 | 2 years, 167 days | PLN |
| — | | Bernardino González Ruiz (1911–2012) Acting President | — | 17 March 1963 | 23 March 1963 | 6 days | PAD |
| (14) | | Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón (1905–1981) Third tenure | — | 23 March 1963 | 1 October 1964 | 1 year, 192 days | PLN |
| 20 | | Marco Aurelio Robles (1908–1990) | 1964 | 1 October 1964 | 1 October 1968 | 4 years | PLN |
| (10) | | Arnulfo Arias (1901–1988) Third tenure | 1968 | 1 October 1968 | 11 October 1968 (Deposed in a coup) | 10 days | PP |
| — | | José María Pinilla Fábrega (1919–1979) Chairman of the Provisional Junta Ruled jointly with Bolívar Urrutia Parrilla | — | 12 October 1968 | 18 December 1969 | 1 year, 67 days | National Guard |
| 21 | | Colonel Bolívar Urrutia Parrilla (1918–2005) Ruled jointly with José María Pinilla Fábrega | — | 12 October 1968 | 18 December 1969 | 1 year, 67 days | National Guard |
| — | | Demetrio B. Lakas (1925–1999) Chairman of the Provisional Junta from 1969 to 1972 | — | 19 December 1969 | 11 October 1972 | 2 years, 297 days | Independent |
| 22 | | Demetrio B. Lakas (1925–1999) Chairman of the Provisional Junta from 1969 to 1972 | 1972 | 11 October 1972 | 11 October 1978 | 6 years | Independent |
| 23 | | Aristides Royo (born 1940) | 1978 | 11 October 1978 | 31 July 1982 | 3 years, 293 days | Independent (until March 1979) |
| | | Aristides Royo (born 1940) | — | 11 October 1978 | 31 July 1982 | 3 years, 293 days | PRD |
| 24 | | Ricardo de la Espriella (born 1934) | — | 31 July 1982 | 13 February 1984 | 1 year, 197 days | PRD |
| 25 | | Jorge Illueca (1918–2012) | — | 13 February 1984 | 11 October 1984 | 241 days | Independent |
| 26 | | Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino (born 1938) | 1984 | 11 October 1984 | 28 September 1985 | 352 days | PRD |
| — | | Eric Arturo Delvalle (1937–2015) Acting President | — | 28 September 1985 | 26 February 1988 | 2 years, 151 days | PR |
| — | | Manuel Solís Palma (1917–2009) Acting President | — | 26 February 1988 | 1 September 1989 | 1 year, 187 days | PRD |
| — | | Francisco Rodríguez (born 1938) Provisional president | — | 1 September 1989 | 20 December 1989 (Deposed in the US invasion) | 110 days | PRD |
| 27 | | Guillermo Endara (1936–2009) | 1989 | 20 December 1989 | 1 September 1994 | 4 years, 255 days | PP |
| 28 | | Ernesto Pérez Balladares (born 1946) | 1994 | 1 September 1994 | 1 September 1999 | 5 years | PRD |
| 29 | | Mireya Moscoso (born 1946) | 1999 | 1 September 1999 | 1 September 2004 | 5 years | PP |
| 30 | | Martín Torrijos (born 1963) | 2004 | 1 September 2004 | 1 July 2009 | 4 years, 303 days | PRD |
| 31 | | Ricardo Martinelli (born 1951) | 2009 | 1 July 2009 | 1 July 2014 | 5 years | CD |
| 32 | | Juan Carlos Varela (born 1961) | 2014 | 1 July 2014 | 1 July 2019 | 5 years | PP |
| 33 | | Laurentino Cortizo (born 1953) | 2019 | 1 July 2019 | 1 July 2024 | 5 years | PRD |
| 34 | | José Raúl Mulino (born 1959) | 2024 | 1 July 2024 | Incumbent | 226 days | RM |

#### Military dictators of Panama (1968–1989)

From 1968 to 1989 a military junta exerted a dictatorship over the country and nominated the president, who himself held little power. The following individuals were leaders of the junta.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Military affiliation | Notes |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Military affiliation | Notes |
| 1 | | Brigadier-General Omar Torrijos (1929–1981) | 11 October 1968 | 31 July 1981 | 12 years, 293 days | National Guard | Assumed power in the 1968 coup d'état. Styled as Maximum Leader of the Panamanian Revolution from 11 October 1968. Killed in an air crash. |
| 2 | | Colonel Rubén Darío Paredes (born 1933) | 3 March 1982 | 12 August 1983 | 1 year, 162 days | National Guard | |
| 3 | | General Manuel Noriega (1934–2017) | 12 August 1983 | 20 December 1989 | 6 years, 130 days | National Guard | Styled as Maximum Leader of the National Liberation from 15 December 1989. Deposed in the US invasion. |
| 3 | | General Manuel Noriega (1934–2017) | 12 August 1983 | 20 December 1989 | 6 years, 130 days | Panama Defense Forces (from 29 September 1983.) | Styled as Maximum Leader of the National Liberation from 15 December 1989. Deposed in the US invasion. |

## Latest election

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | José Raúl Mulino | Realizing Goals–Alliance | | Realizing Goals | 668,527 | 29.39 |
| | José Raúl Mulino | Realizing Goals–Alliance | | Alliance Party | 110,245 | 4.85 |
| | José Raúl Mulino | Realizing Goals–Alliance | Total | Total | 778,772 | 34.23 |
| | Ricardo Lombana | Another Way Movement | Another Way Movement | Another Way Movement | 559,432 | 24.59 |
| | Martín Torrijos | People's Party | People's Party | People's Party | 364,576 | 16.03 |
| | Rómulo Roux | For a Better Panama | | Democratic Change | 138,274 | 6.08 |
| | Rómulo Roux | For a Better Panama | | Panameñista Party | 120,544 | 5.30 |
| | Rómulo Roux | For a Better Panama | Total | Total | 258,818 | 11.38 |
| | Zulay Rodríguez | Independent | Independent | Independent | 150,338 | 6.61 |
| | José Gabriel Carrizo | Vamos con todo Panama | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 126,454 | 5.56 |
| | José Gabriel Carrizo | Vamos con todo Panama | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 7,337 | 0.32 |
| | José Gabriel Carrizo | Vamos con todo Panama | Total | Total | 133,791 | 5.88 |
| | Maribel Gordón | Independent | Independent | Independent | 24,531 | 1.08 |
| | Melitón Arrocha | Independent | | PAIS | 2,442 | 0.11 |
| | Melitón Arrocha | Independent | | Independent | 2,218 | 0.10 |
| | Melitón Arrocha | Independent | Total | Total | 4,660 | 0.20 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 2,274,918 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,274,918 | 97.53 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 38,544 | 1.65 |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | Blank votes | Blank votes | Blank votes | 19,101 | 0.82 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,332,563 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 3,004,083 | 77.65 |
| Source: Tribunal Electoral |||||||