David W. Panuelo (born April 13, 1964) is a Micronesian politician who is serving as the
president of the Federated States of Micronesia
The president of the Federated States of Micronesia is the head of state and government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The FSM president, by virtue of his or her office, is the head of the FSM Cabinet and is in charge of the admin ...
. His term started on May 11, 2019.
Biography
Panuelo was born on the island of
Pohnpei
Pohnpei "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')" (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, Proto-Chuukic-Pohnpeic: ''*Fawo ni pei)'' is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei ...
, where he completed much of his early education. He went to college in the United States, earning a BA in
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
from
Eastern Oregon University
Eastern Oregon University (EOU) (officially designated as Oregon’s Rural University) is a public university in La Grande, Oregon. It was formerly part of the Oregon University System, since dissolved. EOU was founded in 1929 as a teacher’ ...
in 1987.
In 1988 he was appointed as the deputy ambassador for the Micronesian embassy in Fiji where he served until 1993. In 1993 he was appointed to serve at the Micronesian Mission to the United Nations, a position he held until 1996. In 1997, Panuelo was named the director of the Department of Resource Management and Development for the State of Pohnpei, a position he held until 2001.
[
From 2003 to 2010, Panuelo resigned from government work to work in the private business sector. On May 11, 2011, Panuelo was elected as a two-year Senator from Pohnpei State’s Congressional District Three. He was re-elected unopposed in both 2013 and 2015. In 2019 Panuelo was elected as president of Micronesia.][ In his inauguration address, President Penuelo's central theme was "Taking Actions Today for Our Nation’s Prosperity Tomorrow." He further committed that "the Panuelo-George administration will be transparent, open, and accountable."
The couple have five children and seven grandchildren.][
]
Positions on China–United States relations
Though the US provides for Micronesia's defense and security, and provides "a substantial percentage of the FSM national and state governments’ budget expenditures" in the form of annual economic assistance, President Panuelo has been outspoken in his support for China. In March 2022 Panuelo characterized China, with its de facto one-party state status, "as paragon examples of peace, friendship, cooperation, and love in our common humanity." President Panuelo has characterized himself as "a sincere friend of China" and the Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
(CCP) as "our very dear Chinese friends." The Panuelo administration has also sought to "strengthen and renew its relations with the People and Government of Cuba" and the President has called for an end to the United States embargo against Cuba. In response to a meeting between United States President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, s ...
, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, President Panuelo declared that individual Americans needed to participate in "genuine People-to-People engagement" themselves. Panuelo claimed such engagement would convince US citizens of how "the Chinese People are adept at demonstrating peace, friendship, cooperation, and love in our common humanity."
In contrast to his laudatory comments about China, and the CCP, President Panuelo has alternatively sought to emphasize long standing defense agreements when speaking with American audiences, noting specifically that "the United States regards our country as part of the homeland, and we regard ourselves as part of the homeland." This "homeland" reference is based on the fact that "the United States has full authority and responsibility for defense and security matters in and relating to the FSM." Further comments by the President, as expansion of US financial assistance continued, alluded to the large number of Micronesian citizens within the US military, with Panuelo noting that "our Micronesian men and women die for the same freedoms ''as any other American'' in the U.S. Armed Forces"
Travel during nationwide COVID lockdown
Through the use of National Declarations and Executive Orders, President Panuelo kept the nation of Micronesia closed for two and a half years during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The large number of Micronesians stranded outside the nation faced enormous financial and emotional challenges. Ultimately, only a handful of Micronesian already abroad were able to return to the country, and they were subjected to strict quarantine and isolation protocols.
President Panuelo himself traveled extensively during this period to and from the Federated States of Micronesia, including visits to Guam, Hawaii, Washington DC, Oregon, New York, and Fiji. He also traveled within the FSM, to the States of Yap and Kosrae, transiting through Guam enroute. At no point did he stay in a designated and mandated quarantine facility upon return to Micronesia but rather the President “quarantined at home,” and in at least one instance he departed on an additional international trip during the designated quarantine period.
Solomon sex trafficking scandal
President David Panuelo's chief economist, Robert Solomon, was arrested in late 2021 and charged with multiple counts of solicitation, sexual abuse, human trafficking, prostitution and kidnapping. Solomon was arrested in his home in Dolonier village, along with an alleged conspirator, over allegations they forced three teenage girls into prostitution. President Panuelo and his wife also reside in Dolonier, a small village within the municipality of Nett.
President Panuelo, who had described human trafficking as “the elephant in our proverbial room,” explained in a public statement following Solomon’s arrest that “what I want to make clear is that the Government, which is people, is imperfect.”
In 2017, when Panuelo was serving as a member of Congress, he took a point of personal privilege, standing to address the chamber and praise Solomon. Panuelo explained to fellow legislators at the time that Solomon was "a good neighbor of mine." and "our Economist who is helping us in many ways." Then-Congressman Panuelo was serving as chair of the Resources and Development Committee, which holds oversight responsibilities for the FSM Department of Finance, where Solomon was formally based.
Once elected, President, Panuelo nominated Rob Solomon to serve as his Secretary for the Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure. The appointment of Solomon, a citizen of New Zealand, to lead a Micronesian federal agency spurred questions during confirmation hearings. In the fall of 2019 the Micronesian Congress defeated Panuelo’s nomination of Solomon to serve as a cabinet secretary. Despite the defeat of the nomination, Solomon continued to advise and serve President Panuelo and his administration, often speaking or answering questions along side, or in place of, President Panuelo, the Vice President or agency secretaries in the months leading up to his arrest.
References
External links
Radio New Zealand Interview To David W. Panuelo (October 20, 2021)
− Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand ( mi, Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa), commonly known as Radio NZ or simply RNZ, is a New Zealand public-service radio broadcaster and Crown entity that was established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news and c ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Panuelo, David W.
Living people
1964 births
People from Pohnpei State
Eastern Oregon University alumni
Presidents of the Federated States of Micronesia
Members of the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia
21st-century politicians
Federated States of Micronesia diplomats