How times have changed. Under former President Mireya Moscoso, Panama’s public finances sometimes seemed to be spinning out of control and, in 2004, a government that was widely seen to be corrupt was annihilated at the polls. Ms Moscoso, the widow of Panama’s veteran populist leader, Arnulfo Arias, finished her term as the country’s most unpopular president ever.

Today, things are radically different. Following his landslide victory, President Martín Torrijos has stabilised the economy, consolidated his power base to an extent that few would have predicted three years ago and boasts popularity ratings of more than 60 per cent.