Juan Carlos Varela R., was born in Panamá on 12 December 1963. Studied primary and secondary in Javier College, under the direction of the Company of Jesus Order. Graduated as Industrial Engineer from the University of Georgia Tech, in the United States. He is married to journalist Lorena Castillo and is father of three children.
In the private sector he led the growth of a Panamanian company with over 100 years of history that has generated thousands of jobs in our country: Varela Hermanos, S.A. There he served as director since 1985 and was Executive Vice President until January 2008. With a large social view from the private sector, Varela supported and promoted projects in favor of culture, sports, education folklore and environment.
Was elected Vice President of the Republic of Panamá in July 2009, and in just two years in office in the Government, fulfilled his social campaign promises including: the Program 100 at 70, the increase in the minimum salary, the Curundú Project, and the Universal Scholarship among others.
On 17 March 2013, , Juan Carlos Varela became the presidential candidate for the Panameñista Party and on 25 August of that same year, he was proclaimed candidate of the Alliance "El Pueblo Primero", formed by the Panameñista Party and the Popular Party, with the support of the independent sectors of the country. The past 4 May, Varela was elected President of the Republic of Panamá for the constitutional period 2014-2019.
