PANAMA

Government type: Presidential Democratic Republic

The President of Panama is both head of state and head of government, and of a
multi-party system
There are also 2 elected vice-presidents who also serve 5-year terms
The legislative branch of government is made-up of a 1 chamber legislature. It has
71 members who are elected for 5-year terms
The judicial branch consists of a national supreme court, 5 superior courts and 3
courts of appeal
Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both
the government and the National Assembly. The judiciary is independent of the
executive and the legislature
For all people national elections are universal and mandatory for all citizens 18 years and older.
National elections for the executive and legislative branches take place every five years

Members of the judicial branch (justices) are appointed by the head of state
Panama's National Assembly is elected by proportional representation in fixed
electoral districts, so many smaller parties are represented

Sources:
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Panama-POLITICSGOVERNMENT-AND-TAXATION.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pm.html

CONSTITUTION OF MEXICO
The Constitution is the supreme law in Mexico. It is considered to be the first
Constitution to include a systematic array of social rights, among which we find:
freedom of association, freedom of expression, right to access education, etc. The
Constitution is divided into two parts, the dogmatic and the organic. Within the
dogmatic part we have the individual guarantees, whereas the organic part
concerns the division of powers and the fundamental organization and functioning
of major State institutions.

According to the Constitution, Mexico is constituted as a representative, democratic

and federal Republic, consisting of free and sovereign States for all matters
concerning their internal affairs, but united in a federation established according to
the principles set forth under the fundamental law. The States adopts for their
internal system, a republican form of government, which shall be representative,
rooted in the people and based on a territorial division with the political and
administrative organization of the Free Municipality.
The constitution was founded on seven fundamental ideas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Declaration of rights
Sovereignty of the nation
Separation of powers
Representative government
A federal system
Constitutional remedy
Supremacy of the State over the Church

How laws are made?

The legal system is Mexico provides for Federal Laws and State laws. There is a
Federal Constitution and a State Constitution for each of the states of Mexico. Laws
and regulations are created by: (1) decisions made in the legislative branch of
government, by decrees of the President and by jurisprudence created by the
federal court, and (2) in the case of federal legislation, by 5 consecutive decisions
resolved in the same manner by the Supreme Court regarding the same issue.
The legislative branch of government is the law making branch, which is charged
with the review and determination of when and where laws are necessary. This
branch receives assistance from the Executive branch by its proposal of laws and at
times by its rejection of laws passed by the legislative branch.
The President (executive) has the authority/responsibility of approving the laws
passed by the congress (legislative)

Sources:
http://www.mexicolaw.com/LawInfo31.htm
http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/details.jsp?id=8010
https://www.oas.org/juridico/mla/en/mex/en_mex-int-text-const.pdf

CONSITUTION OF PANAMA
The Constitution of Panama was promulgated on 11 October 1972 and came into
force on the same date. It has been amended in 1978, 1983, 1993, 1994 and, last,
in 2004. Its consolidated version was published in the Official Gazette No. 25176 of
15 November 2004. The initiative to propose constitutional amendments belongs to
the National Assembly, the Cabinet Council and the Supreme Court of Justice.
The Constitution consists of a Preamble and 328 articles divided into the following
Titles: (I) The Panamanian State; (II) Panamanian citizens and foreigners; (III)
Individual and social rights and duties; (IV) Political rights; (V) The Legislative
Branch; (VI) The Executive Branch; (VII) The administration of Justice; (VIII)
Municipal and Provincial systems; (IX) Public finances; (X) National economy; (XI)
Civil servants; (XII) Security forces; (XIII) Constitutional amendment; (XIV) The
Panama Canal; (XV) Final and transitional provisions.
How laws are made?
The law of Panama is based on civil law with influences from Spanish legal tradition
and Roman law. For the first several years of its existence Panamian law depended
upon the legal code inherited from Colombia. The first Panamanian codes,
promulgated in 1917, were patterned upon those of Colombia and other Latin
American states that had earlier broken away from the Spanish Empire. Therefore,
Panama's legal heritage incorporated elements from Spain and its colonies.
Several features of Anglo-American law have also been accepted in Panama.
Habeas corpus, a feature of Anglo-American legal procedure that is not found in
many Latin American codes, has been constitutionally guaranteed in Panama.
Judicial precedent, another Anglo-American practice, has also made some headway.
Judges and magistrates usually have had little leeway in matters of procedure,
delays, and degrees of guilt.
Legislative functions of the Nation are vested in the National Assembly and consist
in issuing laws necessary for the fulfillment of the purposes of the performance
functions, of the State declared in this Constitution.

Sources:
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Panama_2004.pdf?lang=en
https://www.oas.org/juridico/mla/en/pan/en_pan-int-des-system.pdf

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