Aulina Opua Elected as National Wounaan Chief

A Historic Moment for Women in Indigenous Leadership

In a traditional ceremony held in the Wounaan community of Puerto Lara, Aulina Ismare Opua was inaugurated as the new Cacica Wounaan (National Chief)—a milestone for the Wounaan people and for Indigenous women across Panama. At 36 years old, Aulina becomes one of the few women in the country to rise to a national leadership position within an Indigenous group.

Her election marks a shift in cultural dialogue. “We now leave behind the ideology that positions of power should be occupied by men,” she said at her inauguration. “I come with the intention that men and women work together for the common good that we all deserve.”

Running under the campaign message, “A woman for a better development and unity of the Wounaan people,” Aulina was elected on April 2, 2022. One of her top priorities is the adjudication of ancestral lands still lacking official titles—an issue that affects Wounaan autonomy and access to resources. She has also voiced strong support for women’s rights, speaking out against discrimination and inequality in Panama’s Indigenous communities.

Though the Wounaan make up a small portion of Panama’s Indigenous population—fewer than 10,000 people out of a national Indigenous total of 450,000—their cultural and political presence continues to grow. Aulina’s leadership is a reflection of that momentum, and a sign of what’s possible when tradition and progress move forward together.