Martin Torrijos vs Maximilien Robespierre

Martin Torrijos, son of former military leader Omar Torrijos, won the 2004 presidential election as the candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). His victory marked the return of the PRD to power after a decade out of office.

Torrijos's presidency was marked by economic growth, social reforms, and the initiation of the canal expansion. He also pursued anti-corruption measures and improved relations with the United States. He left office with relatively high approval ratings.

Torrijos proposed and secured approval for a major expansion of the Panama Canal through a national referendum in 2006. The project aimed to build a third set of locks to accommodate larger ships, significantly increasing the canal's capacity and economic impact.

Robespierre was elected as a deputy of the Third Estate for Artois to the Estates-General. He quickly became a leading voice for radical reforms, advocating for universal male suffrage and the rights of the common people.

As a leading member of the Committee of Public Safety, Robespierre oversaw the Reign of Terror, a period of mass executions of perceived enemies of the revolution. Over 16,000 people were guillotined, including former allies like Danton.

Robespierre and the National Convention voted to abolish slavery in all French colonies, a landmark decree influenced by the Haitian Revolution. This was the first abolition of slavery by a major European power, though later reversed by Napoleon.

Robespierre inaugurated the Cult of the Supreme Being as a state religion, replacing Catholicism and atheism. The festival in Paris promoted deism and civic virtue, but was criticized as an attempt to impose his personal beliefs.

Robespierre was arrested and executed by guillotine without trial after the Thermidorian Reaction. His death ended the Reign of Terror and marked a conservative turn in the French Revolution.