Johnson Toribiong

Johnson Toribiong (born 22 July 1946) is a Palauan attorney and politician.[1] Toribiong became the President of Palau, following his victory in the November 2008 election, and left office in 2013.[2] Before 2020 elections, Toribiong has run for president four times - in 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012.[3]

Johnson Toribiong
8th President of Palau
In office
15 January 2009 – 17 January 2013
Vice PresidentKerai Mariur
Preceded byTommy Remengesau
Succeeded byTommy Remengesau
Personal details
Born (1946-07-22) 22 July 1946
Airai, South Pacific Mandate
(now Palau)
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)Valeria Toribiong
Alma materUniversity of Washington, Seattle

Background and early career

Toribiong was born in Airai, one of the states of Palau. He attended the College of Guam, 1965–66, and holds a Juris Doctor degree (1972) and a Master of Laws (1973) degree from the University of Washington School of Law.[4][5] His LL.M. thesis was entitled, "Oil Pollution by Ships and Micronesia: A Survey of Maritime Jurisdiction and Applicable Laws."[6]

He was defeated in the Presidential election of 2000. One of the issues was his acceptance of 6 Uyghur former prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba who didn't fit in to Palauan society.[7] He was then sent out of Palau but given face by serving as ambassador of Palau to the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2001 to 2008.

He ran for president in the 1992 elections; he attracted 3,188 votes, versus 2,084 for one-term incumbent Ngiratkel Etpison and 3,125 for rival Kuniwo Nakamura; however, as no candidate attracted more than 50% of the vote, Nakamura and Toribiong went on to a runoff election, in which Toribiong was defeated.[8]

President

Toribiong was a candidate for President of Palau during the November 2008 presidential election.[9] His running mate for Vice President was Kerai Mariur, a Delegate in the Palau National Congress.[9] Toribiong was opposed by Elias Camsek Chin, the outgoing Palauan Vice President.[9]

Toribiong led the early, unofficial vote tally with 1,629 votes to Chin's 1,499.[9] The lead ultimately held and Toribiong defeated Chin in the election.

Toribiong was sworn into office as President of Palau on January 15, 2009.[10]

President Toribiong and his wife, First Lady Valeria Toribiong (both center), at his inauguration on 15 January 2009.

References
  2. "The voters of Palau reject incumbent President". Radio Australia. 2012-11-08. Archived from the original on 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2012-11-15. While Barack Obama may have won a second term in the White House, there's no such joy in the former US territory of Palau, where voters have thrown out the incumbent President, Johnson Toribiong.
  3. "Four candidates seek the presidency in Palau elections in 2020". Mbjguam.com. January 19, 2020.
  4. "Alumni in the News". Law.washington.edu. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  6. "After Guantanamo, life on Pacific island was difficult". Theglobeandmail.com. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  7. Hassall, Graham; Saunders, Cheryl (2002), Asia-Pacific constitutional systems, Cambridge University Press, p. 93, ISBN 978-0-521-59129-4
  9. "Secretary Salazar Meets with Palau President Toribiong March 12, 2009". United States Department of the Interior. 2009-03-12. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-21.


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