Tag Archives: Panama

National Security, Contraband Smuggling, and U.S. Intervention

By Veronica Martin, UT graduate in Government with a focus on Latin American politics and democracy

My work at CID Gallup was marked by a significant amount of creative autonomy, an abundance of meticulous political research, and an evolving adoration for democracy and national security. At once, we were split into two groups with the task of developing a research study on either of two assigned topics: the aging Panamanian population or the “sandwich generation” of women. Given an impressive amount of autonomy with our studies, our group of four ventured upon cracking open the pensions and retirement system of Panama by analyzing demographic statistics, literature, and fiscal data. While the research was quite dense, I can now answer any question any skeptic may have about Panamanian retirement (when it comes up in normal everyday conversation, which is often).

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Collecting Public Opinion and Finding Home in Panama

By Hana Sawaf, UT International Relations major

When I boarded my flight to Panama almost a month ago, I knew I would be stepping outside of my comfort zone. I expected long workdays, lots of Spanish, and maybe a little (…or more than a little) homesickness—it was the first time I’d been away from my sister and mom for an extended period of time. What I didn’t expect was just how quickly Panama would start to feel like home—or how my cohort would become a second family.

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Encuestas in Panama City

By Josie Mandrea, UT Civics Honors major

I started work at CID Gallup in Panama City right at the beginning of June. Their office sits on the 18th floor of a massive building right in the center of the city. On day one, the staff welcomed us with a wonderful orientation where they explained the value of public opinion research and survey design. In the first few days, we acclimated to the office, getting to know the other employees and the beloved cats, Simba and Estrellita.

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Public Opinion Polling in Latin America and Surveying Panama City

By Brittni Palkert, second-year graduate student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs

I spent the summer in Panama City, Panama, interning with CID Gallup, a leader in public opinion, social, market, and political surveys. This internship provided our intern team with the opportunity to both design our own research project and participate in ongoing research studies, while learning from experts in the field. My group’s research project centered on women in Latin America that are being “sandwiched” between caring for children and elderly parents which limits them from participating in the workforce, civic life, and elsewhere. It also impacts general well-being, including levels of happiness, stress, and burnout. In the design of this research project, we applied skills we learned from workshops with CID Gallup, conducting a literature review on the topic, identifying the theoretical survey population, and designing the research methodology. The literature review for this project gave me a deeper understanding for the concerns of women in Latin America today and the impact of changing demographics and societal pressures.

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Mapping Sense of Belonging and Birthright Citizenship Laws: My Experience Researching Migration and Nationality in the Americas 

By P. Salomé Valdivieso Santillán, Graduate student at the UT Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies

Our research project began with the aim of studying how different birthright nationality laws shape migrant integration in four diverse settings: Panama, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. These countries differ not only in terms of language, policies, and economies, but also in the levels of inclusion towards migrants, which significantly impact how we conceptualize the south-north divide. The United States, for instance, grants citizenship to anyone born on its soil, while Colombia and the Dominican Republic impose stricter conditions that can leave children of migrants in legal limbo. Panama is a rare case, given the antecedents of the “Crisol de Razas” (melting pot) policies, where a melting pot ideology, similar to that of the United States, has been established as one of the primary identity markers of the country. 

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Digital Violence, Women’s Leadership, and Democratic Participation in Latin America

By Leah Tharakan, Undergraduate student in UT’s Government Department, Sociology Department, and Economics Department

Just weeks before International IDEA marked its 30th anniversary, I walked into its Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office in Panama City’s Financial District—an office tucked above a busy thoroughfare of honking taxis and fondas, where regional democracy is studied in quiet persistence. It’s here, in the hushed office above the commotion, that I joined the Latin America and Caribbean team of International IDEA as an Embedded Scholar. I hadn’t arrived in the middle of a national election or political upheaval. Instead, my arrival came during a slower season, one marked by IDEA’s 30th anniversary and a moment to take stock of what three decades of democracy assistance has built.

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Democracy Internship Applications Due Nov. 1

The 2026 Embedded Scholars Application is now open for UT students to apply for Summer 2026 internships in democratic and constitutional development in the Balkans, Central Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Applications are due by November 1, 2025.

The Embedded Scholars program is an innovative fellowship that trains students at UT in the spring then places them in summer internships abroad focused on democracy assistance and research. By combining applied work and research, the fellowship aims to launch students’ work in the field while advancing democratic development.

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The Democratic Benefits of Public Opinion Research in Colombia and Panama

By Mitchel McCormick, Graduate student at the UT LBJ School of Public Affairs

The Embedded Scholars’ experience in Panama City, Panama, proved to be both challenging and rewarding. Challenging because being an intern after working full-time for six years is a significant adjustment. Doing all of this in a second language abroad makes it even more compelling. Rewarding because of the quality of the work I had the opportunity to witness, the skills of the CID Gallup staff, and the opportunity to work with a creative and sharp team both at CID Gallup and UT. At CID Gallup, I held several different roles, some uniquely tailored to the company and others involving collaboration with UT students on a research study related to the experience of migrants across Latin America. 

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From Canvassing to Designing My Own Climate Migration Survey

By Siyona Nayampally, Undergraduate student in the UT Economics Department and Plan II Program

The weeks leading up to my flight to Panama’s Tocumen Airport, I was filled with excitement and nerves. My travels in Latin America had been limited to short trips in Mexico and Costa Rica, and I wasn’t sure what to expect for life in Panama. What I have encountered during my time here has been so much more than I could have imagined. The culture was so welcoming and kind and within a couple of days, I felt right at home. Riding alongside locals to work on the metro every day, I got to see a different side to this new city than I was used to from my travels. We immersed ourselves in the working Panamanian experience, eating lunch at the fonda almost daily, and spending time with our coworkers on the weekends. 

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Improving Democratic Resilience in Central America

By Allison Andrade, Undergraduate student in the UT International Relations and Global Studies Department and Plan II Honors Program

I had never considered visiting Panama, so when I excitedly told all of my friends and family that I would be spending the summer there, they were perplexed. The truth is that I had no idea what this experience would look like, but I knew that I was eager to explore and learn, and more than anything, I was passionate about being on a team focused on democratic development in Latin America. I can say now that my internship with International IDEA as part of the Embedded Scholars Program has been more than I imagined, and I am grateful for the opportunity to practice my Spanish professionally, work on fostering democracy, and learn about the diversity and history of Panama.

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Understanding People and Patterns in Panama 

By Douglas Ramirez, Undergraduate student in the UT Molecular Biosciences Department

 “…So like, why are you going to Panama?” A question I was pelted with from all sides in the days leading up to my departure. This question filled my head as I walked into the CID Gallup office on the first day. Admittedly, I felt like an outsider going in. As the only member of the cohort in STEM, at times I felt out of my depth for the program. Democratic development and social conditions have been something that I’ve been interested in but admittedly I didn’t have much formal education on these before the program. I’ve learned through my personal research and have conducted field surveys, but frankly that just can’t compare to full courses. Regardless of any doubts, I decided to go full steam ahead. 

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Conducting Public Opinion Research across Panama

By: Olivia Drew, Undergraduate student in the UT International Relations and Global Studies Department

When I arrived in Panama, I had no idea what I would find or how I would fit into the office there. Nevertheless on May 29, I was there and was slowly learning my place in the city. When I got to the CID Gallup office, I learned more about their work and the reasons why it matters. CID Gallup is a surveying company that collaborates with both the public and private sectors to collect public opinion data about a variety of topics. The work being done at CID Gallup is crucial to understanding the concerns and needs of people in Latin America.

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Supporting Election and Governance Reform Efforts in Panama

By Allyson Dean, Graduate student at the UT LBJ School of Public Affairs

As soon as I wrapped up my time in session with the Texas House of Representatives, I flew to Panama City for the start of the Panamanian legislative session and the beginning of my internship with International IDEA. This internship culminates my academic and legislative experience in government capacity and transparency efforts in Panama. I work at the Panamanian office with a brilliant and incredibly kind team who have shown me the ropes of the National Assembly of Panama and shared insights into local hot spots. Luckily, I arrived just before the second of two annual legislative sessions, giving me time to get up to speed. 

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New Democracy Internships at Gallup, IDEA, NDI, and TI

UT’s Embedded Scholars program—led by UT Government faculty members Zachary Elkins and Ashley Moran—doubled in size this year to offer internships in more countries with more international organizations working in democratic development abroad.

Started three years ago as a partnership with International IDEA and the Comparative Constitutions Project in Latin America, the program combines in-depth classroom training in the spring with summer internships in democracy assistance abroad. This year, the program continued its work in Panama and Chile, and expanded to additional countries—Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, North Macedonia, and Sweden—as well as additional international organizations—CID Gallup, International IDEA’s Democracy Assessment team, the National Democratic Institute, and Transparency International.

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Evaluating Youth Election Engagement in Rural Panama

By Paulina Licon, Undergraduate student in the UT School of Social Work

As part of my internship with International IDEA in Panama this summer, I was privileged to join a team from the Electoral Tribunal of Panama in evaluating a groundbreaking nationwide project, the Elecciones de la Niñez y la Adolescencia del 2024. This project introduced a unique voting simulation, where the youth of Panama were not only educated about the electoral process but also asked to vote for four fundamental values: honesty, respect, tolerance, and equality. The aim was to instill in students the importance of these values in their candidate selection, promoting thoughtful civic engagement.

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Researching Executive Power and Independent Candidates

By Andrea Meador-Safont, Undergraduate student in the UT Government Department and Plan II Honors Program

Just weeks after Panama elected a new president and National Assembly, I landed at the front steps of a grandiose government building, tasked with helping seasoned researchers analyze the new government citizens chose to represent them. Following one of the most important elections since Panama’s transition to democracy, incoming President José Raúl Mulino has the Herculean task of leading a country away from polarization, political tension, and social divisions while tackling issues of corruption, migration, and the environment. Many Panamanians have expressed disillusionment with their government, citing political corruption as a significant concern. However, amid voter apathy and citizen disaffection, there is a glimmer of hope that the incoming administration may bring about much-needed change.

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Building Strong Democracies: Elections, Lawmaking, and Civic Education 

By Alejandra Vadillo, Undergraduate student in the UT Mexican American Studies Department and Communications Department

This summer, I had the privilege to carry out my fellowship with International IDEA in Panama City, Panama. Working closely with the Institute of Democratic Studies (INED) at the Electoral Tribunal of Panama, I collaborated with some of the sharpest minds in the field to tackle complex issues facing Panama’s democracy, as well as others around the world.

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Representation, Rights, and Resistance

By Andreana Faucette, Undergraduate student in the UT Spanish and Portuguese Department, Psychology Department, and Liberal Arts Honors Program

When I accepted the offer to join the University of Texas’ Government Department and International IDEA in Panama City for a summer, friends and family alike routinely prodded me with the same series of questions, akin to: “Why are you going to Panama?” Many mistakenly thought I was headed here for vacation, while many more simply failed to grasp my reasoning for choosing to spend a summer interning in a place away from home. On the surface, the answer was fairly straightforward. I had spent time there previously, have family ties to the region, and enjoyed my previous visit to the country. But more importantly than that, I was eager to learn, and found this fellowship program to be a unique opportunity to do just that. Over the course of my time interning for International IDEA at the Electoral Tribunal’s Institute of Democratic Studies, though, I’ve surpassed even my own expectations of learning more about the country by integrating myself into the Panamanian community.

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What Will Be the Future of Democracies?

By Maria Mercedes Gómez, Graduate student at the UT Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies

My internship working for International IDEA was a mixture of personal and professional development in Panama City. I had previously worked on governmental and academic projects in Latin America, but working directly with an intergovernmental organization took this experience to a completely different level. Not only did I have the opportunity to develop two amazing projects regarding the relationships between democracy and gender and democracy and security, but I was also able to attend important events regarding recent elections like those in Panama and Venezuela.

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