▁justice . ▁His ▁most ▁significant ▁act ▁as ▁deput y ▁minister ▁was ▁to ▁sign ▁into ▁law ▁the ▁complete ▁priv at ization ▁of ▁Pan ama ' s ▁water ▁util ities . ▁When ▁the ▁new ▁law ▁proved ▁un pop ular , ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Revolution ary ▁Party ▁( PR D ) ▁effect ed ▁a ▁re version ▁to ▁the ▁previous ▁system . ▁During ▁his ▁term ▁in ▁office ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁armed ▁rob ber ies ▁and ▁assault ▁increased . ▁There ▁were ▁several ▁reported ▁cases ▁where ▁S UN TR AC S , ▁a ▁workers ▁union , ▁was ▁anger ed , ▁causing ▁several ▁ri ots ▁which ▁involved ▁rock ▁fl ing ing . ▁ ▁President ial ▁campaign s ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁a ▁constitution al ▁refer endum ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁allowed ▁PR D ▁inc umb ent ▁Ern esto ▁Pérez ▁Ball ad ares ▁to ▁seek ▁a ▁second ▁consecutive ▁term , ▁Tor rij os ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁PR D ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁general ▁election . ▁Tor rij os ▁was ▁selected ▁in ▁part ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁win ▁back ▁left - lean ing ▁vot ers ▁after ▁the ▁priv at izations ▁and ▁union ▁restrictions ▁instit uted ▁by ▁Pérez ▁Ball ad ares . ▁His ▁main ▁oppon ent ▁was ▁Arn ulf ista ▁Party ▁candidate ▁M ire ya ▁Mos cos o , ▁wid ow ▁of ▁former ▁Pan aman ian ▁president ▁Arn ul fo ▁A rias , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁de posed ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁coup ▁that ▁had ▁brought ▁Tor rij os ' s ▁father ▁O mar ▁to ▁power . ▁Mos cos o ▁ran