Zulay Rodríguez
First Vice President of the National Assembly of Panama
Assumed office
1 July 2019
Preceded byLeandro Ávila
Deputy of the National Assembly of Panama
Assumed office
1 July 2014
ConstituencyCircuit 8-6 (San Miguelito District)
Personal details
Born
Zulay Rodríguez Lu

(1969-06-20) June 20, 1969
San Miguelito, Panama
Political partyDemocratic Revolutionary Party
Alma materLatin American University of Science and Technology
OccupationLawyer, professor, politician
Websitewww.zulayrodriguez.com

Zulay Rodríguez Lu (born June 20, 1969) is a Panamanian lawyer, professor, and politician of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). She is currently a deputy for Circuit 8–6 and the First Vice President of the National Assembly.

Biography

Zulay Rodríguez is the daughter of prominent teacher Gladis Lu and former Attorney General Rafael Rodríguez.[1] She earned her degree in law and political science cum laude at the Santa María La Antigua Catholic University (USMA) in 1992.[1]

Subsequently, she took specialized studies and earned a master's degree in procedural law at the University of Panama. She then obtained a master's in environmental law from the University of London, which also included courses in international economic law and policies. She also earned a bachelor's in social sciences with an emphasis in criminology at Florida State University. Finally, she obtained a master's in higher education from the Latin American University of Science and Technology (ULACIT).

Rodríguez held various positions in the justice system.[2] She has worked as a professor of human rights and politics, social thought, and criminal law at the USMA, as well as the USMA postgraduate program in human rights.[2] She worked as a professor of general procedural law and criminal procedure at the University of Panama, and is a professor of human rights at the ULACIT.[2]

Political career

In the 2014 general election, Rodríguez was elected deputy to the National Assembly for Circuit 8–6, corresponding to San Miguelito District, under the PRD banner. On July 11, 2018, she announced her candidacy for the presidency of Panama in the 2019 election for the PRD, expressing disinterest in another run for deputy and feeling "disgusted" at her inability to effect change in the Assembly, but even that she also run for deputy.[3] On September 4, she presented 14 proposals that she would implement if she were elected president of Panama, ranging from agricultural measures to the equitable distribution of wealth.[4] In the PRD primary, held on September 16, 2018, Rodriguez received 18% of votes, surpassed by Laurentino Cortizo with 68%, and finishing ahead of former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares, who ranked third with 7%.[5] On July 1, 2019, Rodríguez was elected First Vice President of the National Assembly.[6]

On July 9, 2019, after being reelected deputy, she gained media attention by presenting a draft law with various restrictions and regulations regarding immigration status also got notorious because she was notorious for his particular support to ex-president Ricardo Martinelli.[7] The requirements to attain legal immigration status in Panama considered in the law would be residence, proven economic solvency, registration in social security, and payment of taxes, thus "tightening" the measures within the 2008 Decree Law on the National Migration Service.[7] Rodríguez referred to Venezuelan immigration to Panama in the draft, stating that if any immigrants did not comply with its provisions, they would have to leave Panamanian territory. This elicited various criticisms, with some groups of foreign nationals and naturalized citizens calling her "xenophobic", and characterizing her comments as ones of "hate, politicism, and divisionism."[8][9]

References

  1. 1 2 Álvarez, Reinelda (August 9, 2018). "Para cambiar cosas que están mal Rodríguez dice que quiere ser presidenta" [To Change Things That are Wrong Rodríguez Says She Wants to be President]. Metro Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Zulay Rodríguez Lu La historia no contada" [Zulay Rodríguez Lu: The Untold Story]. Selecta Magazine (in Spanish). December 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  3. ↑ Hernandez, Elizabeth (September 16, 2018). "Zulay Rodríguez, la primera precandidata presidencial que emitió su voto" [Zulay Rodríguez, the First Presidential Candidate to Cast Her Vote]. La Estrella de Panamá (in Spanish). Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  4. ↑ Bonilla, Adiel (September 14, 2018). "Zulay Rodríguez presenta 14 propuestas que implementaría como presidenta" [Zulay Rodríguez Presents 14 Proposals That She Would Implement as President]. Panamá América (in Spanish). Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Conoce los resultados de las primarias PRD en vivo" [Find Out the Results of the PRD Primary Live]. La Gaceta (in Spanish). September 16, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  6. ↑ Aparicio O., Gustavo A. (July 1, 2019). "Zulay Rodríguez, electa como la primera vicepresidenta de la Asamblea" [Zulay Rodríguez, Elected as First Vice President of the Assembly]. La Estrella de Panamá (in Spanish). Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Diputada Zulay Rodríguez presenta anteproyecto para reforma de ley migratoria" [Deputy Zulay Rodríguez Presents Preliminary Draft for Immigration Law Reform] (in Spanish). TVN Noticias. July 9, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  8. ↑ Chacón, José (July 11, 2019). "Extranjeros en Panamá exigen que sancionen a Zulay Rodríguez; la consideran xenófoba" [Foreigners in Panama Demand That Zulay Rodríguez Be Sanctioned; They Consider Her Xenophobic]. Panamá América (in Spanish). Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Anteproyecto de Ley presentado por Zulay Rodríguez ha desatado campañas a favor y en contra" [Draft Law Presented By Zulay Rodríguez Has Unleashed Campaigns For and Against]. Panamá América (in Spanish). July 15, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
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