▁as ▁propos ing ▁and ▁passing ▁a ▁$ 5 ▁billion ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal . ▁Tor rij os ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁super market ▁magn ate ▁Ric ardo ▁Martin elli ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁He ▁currently ▁serves ▁on ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁Inter - American ▁Dialog ue . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁Martín ▁Tor rij os ▁is ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁military ▁r uler ▁O mar ▁Tor rij os , ▁who ▁was ▁Pan ama ' s ▁social ▁reform er ▁and ▁military ▁strong man ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁plane ▁crash . ▁The ▁younger ▁Tor rij os ▁is ▁an ▁il leg it imate ▁child ▁primarily ▁raised ▁by ▁his ▁mother , ▁but ▁his ▁father ▁public ly ▁acknowled ged ▁him ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁te en ager . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Ch it ré , ▁Herr era , ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁North western ▁Military ▁Academy ▁located ▁in ▁Del af ield , ▁Wisconsin , ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁studied ▁political ▁science ▁and ▁econom ics ▁at ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁University ▁in ▁College ▁Station , ▁Texas . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁US , ▁he ▁also ▁worked ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁man aging ▁a ▁Mc Donald ' s ▁restaurant . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁of ▁Ern esto ▁Pérez ▁Ball ad ares ▁( 1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 9 ), ▁Tor rij os ▁served ▁as ▁deput y ▁minister ▁for ▁the ▁interior ▁and