On Tuesday, President Laurentino Cortizo appointed Guillermo Augusto Salazar as director of the Development Planning Institute and Nelson Rojas Ávila as executive secretary of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of the Presidency.
The Presidency reported that Salazar has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Panama and a Master’s degree in National Economic Planning, University of Havana, Cuba.
He was Minister of Agricultural Development (2006-2008), agricultural negotiator ambassador in Special Mission for international trade negotiations (2004), financial advisor for international companies in Brazil, Argentina, Malaysia and Hong Kong and President of the Informal Group of Agricultural Negotiators -GINA , of the American hemisphere before the Free Trade Area of the Americas – FTAA. (2000-2003).
This Planning Institute is an entity attached to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It was created by Executive Decree number 6 of January 14, 2022.
On the other hand, Nelson Rojas Ávila will serve as Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs of the Ministry of the Presidency, replacing Harley Mitchell Dale, who submitted his resignation from the position.
Rojas Ávila graduated from the University of Panama with a degree in Law and Political Science. He has served as head of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of the Presidency, Vice Minister of the Presidency and Secretary General of the Attorney General’s Office. He has also practiced as a trial lawyer and external consultant in private companies.
