Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez (Spanish pronunciation: [xwaŋ ˈkaɾlos βaˈɾela roˈðɾiɣes]; born 13 December 1961) is a Panamanian businessman and former politician who served as the 37th president of Panama from 2014 to 2019.

Varela won the 2014 presidential election with over 39% of the vote against the Cambio Democrático Party led by his former political partner Martinelli, whose candidate was José Domingo Arias.

His paternal grandfather José Varela Blanco emigrated from Bergondo, Galicia in Spain and settled in the district of Pesé, Herrera in Panama.

[7] Varela won the 2014 presidential election, winning against the ruling-party candidate José Domingo Arias, who was supported by Cambio Democrático, a party led by outgoing President Ricardo Martinelli.

[11] His popularity is affected by declining economic activity, rising living costs, corruption scandals and the crisis in the health and justice sectors.