Daniel Chanis Pinzón
Encyclopedia
Dr. Daniel Chanis Pinzón (20 November 1892 in Panama City
- 2 January 1961) was Panamanian politician and physician
.
As First Vice President of Domingo Díaz Arosemena
he became President of Panama on July 28, 1949 and served until November 20, 1949, when he was forcibly ousted by police chief José ("Chichi") Remón
. He was succeeded by Díaz Arosemena's Second Vice President, Roberto Chiari
. He belonged to the Liberal Party
.
degree from the University of Edinburgh
in 1917, practicing medicine in both Panama and Scotland. Chanis published a paper in the American Urological Association
's Journal of Urology in 1942 titled "Some Aspects of Hermaphroditism: Report of a Case of Female Pseudohermaphroditism" in 1942. He also served as General Council of Panama in Liverpool
and London
, and as Treasury Minister.
, who ran as head of a coalition that included his own Panameñista Party
and the Authentic Revolutionary Party. National police forces, under the command of Remón, were called in ostensibly to maintain the monitor the elections, though in reality their presence was intended to sway the voting to Diaz Arosemena, the preferred candidate of the United States
. Chanis ran as the First Vice-Presidential candidate with Díaz Arosemena. Though Arias appeared to have 1,500 more votes than Díaz Arosemena following the May 9 election, the Panamanian national elections jury declared Díaz Arosemena the winner on August 6 by a margin of approximately 2,400 votes. Arias fled to Costa Rica
following the decision. Chanis assumed the duties of First Vice=President on October 1, 1948.
took a six month leave for health reasons. Chanis became president following Arosemena's death on August 23, 1949.
led a coup d'état
in response to Chanis's refusal to overturn a Panama Supreme Court
decision invalidating a contract between an abbatoir that was "part of Remón's business empire" and several powerful Panamanian families. Chanis had asked for Remón's resignation previously, and, when Remón refused, tendered his own resignation in protest. Whether this resignation was voluntary or forced by Remón is unclear, although it would appear that foreign diplomatic pressure, not wanting to see full out bloodshed, encouraged the resignation. Chanis was replaced by Second Vice-President, and Remón's cousin, Roberto Chiari
.
, supported Chanis, and prepared for confrontation with the national police. Chiari forced his hand, however, and demanded the Panama Supreme Court rule on who, he or Chanis, was the constitutional president; the Supreme Court came back in favor of Chanis by a 4-1 vote. This misstep, and his desire to avoid violence, led Remón to replace him with his former "bitter political enemy" Arnulfo Arias
, with the approval of the Panama Congress. To legitimize the presidency, the national election jury, who had in 1948 ruled against Arias, " found pro-Arias votes it had been unable to find in weeks after the 1948 balloting".
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
- 2 January 1961) was Panamanian politician and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
.
As First Vice President of Domingo Díaz Arosemena
Domingo Díaz Arosemena
Domingo Díaz Arosemena was Panamanian politician.Díaz Arosemena served as Vice President from 1932 to 1936 and as President of Panama from August 7, 1948 to July 28, 1949. He suffered a heart attack while in office and resigned, dying less than a month later. He belonged to the Liberal Party....
he became President of Panama on July 28, 1949 and served until November 20, 1949, when he was forcibly ousted by police chief José ("Chichi") Remón
José Antonio Remón Cantera
José Antonio Remón Cantera , was president of Panama from 1 October 1952 until his murder by machine-gun fire at a Panama City racetrack - on 2 January 1955. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition....
. He was succeeded by Díaz Arosemena's Second Vice President, Roberto Chiari
Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón was the President of Panama in 1949 and from 1960 to 1964. He belonged to the Liberal Party.-Before being president:...
. He belonged to the Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Panama)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal party in Panama. At the last legislative elections, 2 May 2004, the party won 5.2 % of the popular vote and 3 out of 78 seats...
.
Early life
Chanis earned his Doctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1917, practicing medicine in both Panama and Scotland. Chanis published a paper in the American Urological Association
American Urological Association
The American Urological Association is a professional association in the United States for urology professionals.-Awards:*Hugh Hampton Young Award. Presented annually to an individual for outstanding contributions to the study of genitourinary tract disease. This award is sponsored by Karl Storz...
's Journal of Urology in 1942 titled "Some Aspects of Hermaphroditism: Report of a Case of Female Pseudohermaphroditism" in 1942. He also served as General Council of Panama in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and as Treasury Minister.
First Vice-President
Chanis was first elected to national office in the 1948 elections, a hotly contested affair that saw Liberal Party candidate Díaz Arosemena pitted against Arnulfo AriasArnulfo Arias
Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid was president of Panama on three occasions: 1940–41, 1949–51, and for two weeks in October 1968.- Origins :...
, who ran as head of a coalition that included his own Panameñista Party
Panameñista Party
- Founding and early history :The party is the oldest in Panama. It was founded in 1932 by Arnulfo Arias Madrid, a prominent medical , as the National Revolutionary Party. Its membership largely came from Patriotic Communal Action, a nationalist organization that opposed the large amount of...
and the Authentic Revolutionary Party. National police forces, under the command of Remón, were called in ostensibly to maintain the monitor the elections, though in reality their presence was intended to sway the voting to Diaz Arosemena, the preferred candidate of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Chanis ran as the First Vice-Presidential candidate with Díaz Arosemena. Though Arias appeared to have 1,500 more votes than Díaz Arosemena following the May 9 election, the Panamanian national elections jury declared Díaz Arosemena the winner on August 6 by a margin of approximately 2,400 votes. Arias fled to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
following the decision. Chanis assumed the duties of First Vice=President on October 1, 1948.
President
Chanis was sworn in as acting chief executive on July 28, 1949, when then president Domingo Diaz ArosemenaDomingo Díaz Arosemena
Domingo Díaz Arosemena was Panamanian politician.Díaz Arosemena served as Vice President from 1932 to 1936 and as President of Panama from August 7, 1948 to July 28, 1949. He suffered a heart attack while in office and resigned, dying less than a month later. He belonged to the Liberal Party....
took a six month leave for health reasons. Chanis became president following Arosemena's death on August 23, 1949.
1949 Coup d'état
Chanis's presidency came to an end on November 20, 1949. Panamanian Police Chief José RemónJosé Antonio Remón Cantera
José Antonio Remón Cantera , was president of Panama from 1 October 1952 until his murder by machine-gun fire at a Panama City racetrack - on 2 January 1955. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition....
led a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
in response to Chanis's refusal to overturn a Panama Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
decision invalidating a contract between an abbatoir that was "part of Remón's business empire" and several powerful Panamanian families. Chanis had asked for Remón's resignation previously, and, when Remón refused, tendered his own resignation in protest. Whether this resignation was voluntary or forced by Remón is unclear, although it would appear that foreign diplomatic pressure, not wanting to see full out bloodshed, encouraged the resignation. Chanis was replaced by Second Vice-President, and Remón's cousin, Roberto Chiari
Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón
Roberto Francisco Chiari Remón was the President of Panama in 1949 and from 1960 to 1964. He belonged to the Liberal Party.-Before being president:...
.
Coup Aftermath
Shortly after his resignation, Chanis had a change of heart and withdrew his resignation, claiming it came under duress, and delivered a "blistering attack" on Remón before the General Assembly. The Assembly, at the behest of former president Harmodio AriasHarmodio Arias Madrid
Harmodio Arias Madrid was Panamanian politician. He served as acting President of Panama in January 1931 and again from June 5, 1932 to October 1, 1936 after winning presidential election....
, supported Chanis, and prepared for confrontation with the national police. Chiari forced his hand, however, and demanded the Panama Supreme Court rule on who, he or Chanis, was the constitutional president; the Supreme Court came back in favor of Chanis by a 4-1 vote. This misstep, and his desire to avoid violence, led Remón to replace him with his former "bitter political enemy" Arnulfo Arias
Arnulfo Arias
Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid was president of Panama on three occasions: 1940–41, 1949–51, and for two weeks in October 1968.- Origins :...
, with the approval of the Panama Congress. To legitimize the presidency, the national election jury, who had in 1948 ruled against Arias, " found pro-Arias votes it had been unable to find in weeks after the 1948 balloting".