THE DECISION by Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubés Blades to return to the political arena has generated strong reactions.

 Former independent presidential candidate Juan Jované said Blades, as a Panamanian, has every right to participate in the next election, once he has fulfilled the requirements of the Constitution. However, he advised Blades to start living in Panama full time. Reports La Prensa
"If Blades really wants to participate in the forthcoming elections, he should be concerned about the problems facing Panama right now," he said. "Now we are facing real problems."
Meanwhile, former Panama City mayoral candidate Fernando Cebamanos, said that a discussion about presidential aspirations is misplaced considering the social problems that exist right now.
"He should contribute more to the country than his personal aspirations," he said. In addition, he recalled that Blades was part of the government from 2004 until 2009, but did not resolve the country's problems. PRD Secretary General Carlos Pérez Herrera welcomed Blades back to the political arena.
He said that Blades has contributed much both inside and outside the country. "Everyone who wants to contribute to the country with their participation will be welcome," he said.
However, Pérez Herrera said that the Panamanian musician should start his journey from today and not wait until 2017, but it is ultimately the musician's decision.
Pérez Herrera also emphasized that the PRD must be strengthened as a party and seek alliances with other political parties and independent sectors to achieve power by 2019.
He recalled that Blades, when he ran for the presidency in 1994, ran a campaign for only a few months, but who added an important voice to the process. "He is a person who has given much to the country, so he must be heard," Pérez Herrera said. In a survey on the website www.prensa.com, 63 percent of the users had a negative view of Blades returning to the political arena, while 34 percent saw it as a positive.