Panama Elections: Voting Done as Panamanians Await Who Will Their Next President Be

Voters have now cast their ballots as polling centers officially close throughout Panama. The presidential election now goes to the counting stage. The next president is due to be sworn in on July 1 of this year.

Eight candidates are vying for the presidency, though Jose Raul Mulino was the one leading in the polls coming into last Sunday's ballot. He replaced the disgraced former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli as his party's nominee. Martinelli, who has been sanctioned by the US government for corruption, was ruled ineligible to run because he was found guilty of money laundering.

The BBC noted that the Panama Elections will also have voters choosing their respective representatives in the country's National Assembly. Incumbent President Laurentino "Nito" Cortizo is constitutionally barred from running for re-election as Panamanian presidents are not allowed to have two consecutive terms in office. He can run again in the next election.

Martinelli was the favorite to win the election but was forced to drop out of the race and was replaced by Mulino. He is currently hiding in the Nicaraguan Embassy after he lost his latest appeal to throw out the case against him. He has been sentenced to almost 11 years in prison for his crimes.

The former president and convicted tax evader has been campaigning for Mulino from inside the Nicaraguan Embassy. Before becoming the favorite for the presidency, Mulino was Martinelli's runningmate for the 2024 election. He recently survived a Supreme Court case that also tried to bar him from the ballot.

Panama Citizens Willing To Overlook Ricardo Martinelli's Scandals Heading Into the 2024 Elections

While Martinelli was known for his combative nature and charisma, Mulino was said to lack these traits. However, he made up for it with his connection to the former president and Martinelli constantly campaigning for him from the Nicaraguan Embassy.

Despite the scandals plaguing Martinelli, a lot of Panamanian voters are willing to overlook it as he and Mulino have vowed to fight the endemic graft that plagues the country, even though Marinelli has been found to be part of that corruption. He was not just found guilty of money laundering, but was also previously arrested in Florida.

"Panama's election will be one of the most complex in its modern history. The vote is marked by increased political fragmentation and social discontent under outgoing President Laurentino Cortizo," Arantza Alonso, senior analyst for the Americas at the risk consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft told the Associated Press.

The Other Panama Elections Candidates Running for President

While Mulino is the frontrunner, there are other candidates who are also favorites to win. These include Romulo Roux and former President Martin Torrijos, who have been alternating between 2nd and 3rd place in the polls. Closely behind them are Ricardo Lombana and current Vice President Jose Gabriel Carrizo.

However, sentiments for voters remain mixed, with one voter telling Reuters that she voted for Mulino because she feels he could bring more jobs to Panama, while a student who voted for Lombana stated he wanted fresh faces to lead the country, not the usual politicians.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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