People v. President

Most revolutions are masterminded by a strong man or a junta or a committee of the elite, but in Panama last week the people themselves pulled the revolutionary strings. Panama's official President-maker, Colonel Jose ("Chichi") Remon, bided his time and eventually supplied the firepower.

Chichi Remon, boss of the National Police, Panama's only armed force, does not like revolutions; he likes to keep the country quiet, so that he, his cops and his business friends can live in peace. But President Arnulfo Arias, whom Chichi restored to offi'ce 18 months ago, was not a man to let well enough alone. He built up his own secret police to cow the opposition; he made enemies by voraciously reaching for power and property.

In March, Arias made a reckless grab for control of the independent Panama Trust Co. (TIME, March 19). The grab failed, but the bank was wrecked and had to close its doors. A fortnight ago, Ar-nulfo's opponents struck back by working up a run on the Government Savings Bank. This dose of his own medicine got Arnulfo mad. He suddenly moved to revoke the 1946 constitution and reinstate his own 1941 constitution, which gave the President broader powers and a longer term of office (six years instead of four).

That was too much for fed-up Panamanians. Crowds gathered outside Chichi Remon's headquarters and clamorously demanded that he get rid of Arias. A general strike broke out. That night the National Assembly impeached Arias and swore in Vice President Alcibiades Arose. mena as President. Chichi sent Arias an ultimatum: get out or be booted out. Arnulfo holed up in the presidential palace with his henchmen. Police ringed the palace and began peppering the windows. After a four-hour battle, Arias gave up. As he left the palace under guard, he lifted his hand in a defiant salute.

Inside, the cops found the bodies of two of their own officers: Major Alfredo Gomez and Lieut. Juan Flores. According to the confession Chichi's men extracted from Arnulfo's aide, the two had been shot down in cold blood; Arnulfo himself had pulled the trigger on Gomez.

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