Anecdotes

Ran for President of Panama as founder and head of the Papa Egoro party in 1994. He came in third behind the two leading Panamanian parties. However, he won a respectable 18% of the vote. His party gained enough seats in the Panamanian Legislature to ensure its continuance and a place in national politics, until it was dissolved in 1999.

Blades uses the English pronunciation (rhymes with "glades"), as Ruben's grandfather Reuben Blades was English, a native of St. Lucia.

Holds degrees in Law from the University of Panama and International Law from Harvard University.

The son of a bongo player turned police detective and a mother who taught piano, Blades grew up with music but studied law at the University of Panama. In 1974, at 26, he landed in New York City with just $100 in his pocket and a dream to make it as a singer.

He won his first Grammy for the album, "Encenas", and has won 4 more in Latin categories, a Latin Grammy, and one in World Music for the album "Mundo.".

Was Minister of Tourism in Panama from 2004 until 2009.

Owns a large comic book collection, which would be larger if his mother had not thrown away his childhood collection.

His grandfather, Reuben Blades, was born on the British island of St. Lucia.

In Prédateur 2 (1990), he played a character with the last name Archuleta who is killed by the bad guy, and in Il était une fois au Mexique (2003), his character avenges the death of a partner with the last name Archuleta.