"Listen well ... No individual interest ... political or economic ... will ever be above national interests ... And they are not negotiable!" said Laurentino Cortizo in his first speech as president of Panama on July 1.

"There will be no untouchables ... even if they are Ministers ... Deputies ... great businessmen ... And starting with the President himself …

“I reiterate to the Prosecutors, Judges, and Magistrates ... you owe it to the Homeland and to your own conscience ... not to political or economic pressures ...  And less to me!"

Some of the other points he made:

"Today ... there are 777,000  Panamanians living in multidimensional poverty ... 450,000 children and adolescents ... are poor"

"Corruption robs us all and threatens our future …"It intoxicates patronage and generates public distrust "Public funds are and will be sacred ... We all have to render an account to the country ..."

"In this month ... we will present to the Assembly the base proposal for reforms ... to endow Panama with a new constitutional order"

"We will guarantee that the Glass of Milk Program ... is 100% of nationally produced... likewise, we will begin the design of the  Study Without Hunger Program

"In the first three months ... we will present the law for the creation of the Ministry of Culture"

"In the coming months ... we will start operations of the Bank of Opportunities ... for the promotion of entrepreneurship ... especially for our youth and women"