Edison is a distinguished Panamanian politician, lawyer, and environmental advocate, currently serving as a Parliamentarian (2019-2024) and running for Mayor of Panama. In his role as the Head of the Independent Caucus, he led policies that led to impactful, sustainable developments, including the introduction of Panama’s first E-Mobility, Recycling, and Single-Use Plastics law, as well as tax incentives for industrial recycling and paper reduction in the public sector. He also collaborated with the UN Environment Programme and Latin American parliament to develop a regional law on reducing marine pollution.
Since his election into parliament, he renounced all privileges typically enjoyed by parliamentarians, such as the exemption of the import tax, use of public funds, paid phones, and others. Edison was awarded prestigious scholarships from the United States (Global University, IVLP) and the United Kingdom (Chevening), the latter funding his master’s degree at Oxford University in public policy.
He is committed to youth empowerment, actively backing young independent candidates running for parliament and local governments, and creating a public-private partnership that provides over 120 scholarships to young people.
He began environmental activism at a young age. As president of the Law School and the Student’s Federation, he founded the university’s first environmental group, which is still active today. Additionally, in 2018, he initiated the ‘No Straw, Please’ Campaign, significantly raising nationwide awareness about plastic pollution.
As an independent, he is required to seek thousands of signatures for 11 months, and the three most signed persons are the ones who can officially become candidates. Edison is currently the most signed independent candidate for Mayor of Panama and is visiting the communities to keep building a strong structure that can compete with political parties. Edison has received national and international recognition, including Outstanding Youth by the Junior Chamber International (2017), one of 30 global youth change-makers by Financial Times (2019, 2020), and one of 8 worldwide young leaders by British Vogue (2020).
On Youth Political Participation
“Motivating young people to engage in politics as a way to serve their communities comes with significant responsibility. It requires diligent effort in every decision we make, recognising the profound impact it can have on shaping our collective future”.
The WYDE Civic Engagement Network of Young Decision-Makers unites young leaders under 36 years old who are active in politics and decision-making roles, aiming to enhance youth political participation. Members, hailing from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, will collaborate with peers and Club de Madrid Members to shape global agendas through Policy Labs, fostering informed collective action.
The WYDE Civic Engagement project is a component of the Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative (WYDE) by the European Commission. The project aims to empower youth voices, foster international cooperation, and address the gaps in evidence on youth political engagement. More info on the project can be found on EPD’s website.
