José Miguel Alemán

Class of 1978: Leading his country to change

José Miguel Alemán played an important role in restoring democracy to Panama and stimulating national economic prosperity.

He was born May 8, 1956, in Panama City, Panama, but spent much of his childhood in Washington, D.C., where his father, Roberto Alemán Zubieta, was a leading negotiator for the Robles-Johnson Treaties and later ambassador of Panama to the United States (1968–1969).

At Ripon, he majored in politics and government and then earned his juris doctor from Tulane University in Louisiana. After returning to Panama, he was a founding partner of the Arias, Aleman & Mora law firm where his specialties were corporate, administrative, banking, insurance and business law.

In 1981, he joined the movement to return democracy to Panama, helped organize the Panameñista Party, served in its District of Panama Committee and was District General Secretary. The fight for democracy led to a U.S. invasion in 1989 and the restoration of democracy to the country.

The party was reorganized in 1990 as the Panameñista Autentico Party, and Alemán served on its advisory board and as director/treasurer in its National Executive Committee. In the national democratic governments, during the presidency of Don Guillermo Endara, he was vice minister and undersecretary of Government and Justice in 1991; a candidate for Legislator for the Arnulfista Party in 1994; and during the presidency of Mireya Moscoso, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs/Secretary of State from 1999-2003. He resigned at that time when he was nominated by his party to run for the presidency of the Republic in the 2004 elections.

A point of pride for him is having participated in drafting the document that in 1999 transferred the assets and liabilities of the Panama Canal Commission — a U.S. government agency — to the Panama Canal Authority — a Panamanian agency. “It transformed our economy,” he said. He also lobbied the United Nations system, which eventually transferred all of its regional centers for the Americas from New York and other venues to the City of Knowledge in Panama. He said politicians help people and can change their country.

During his professional life, he also served as director of Multibank Inc.; chairman of Multibank Seguros, S.A.; director of Aramo Fiduciary Services Inc.; and founding partner, shareholder and director of Barú Coffe Holding Corp. He currently serves in the Board of Directors of Soluciones Financieras Mi Exito, S.A. After practicing law for more than 40:years, in 2024 he retired from the law firm of Arias, Alemán & Mora which he founded, and in September of that year was appointed as Ambassador of Panamá to the United States of America, currently serving as such in Washington, D.C.

His siblings include Lucas Raul Alemán, Ripon College Class of 1990; and Jaime Alemán Healy, a Panamanian lawyer and ambassador of Panama to the United States.

Ripon College presented him with a Distinguished Alumni Citation in 2018.

He considers that a Ripon liberal arts education in general, and particularly majoring in Politics & Government, prepared him exceptionally well for his goals in life such as being admitted to a top U.S. Law School, legal studies and careers in law, public service and finance. He said Ripon instilled in him the basic skills to read, think and communicate in an effective manner, key to his life pursuits.