Opponent: "puppet"

Right-wing populist wins presidential election in Panama

The 64-year-old José Raúl Mulino won more than a third of the votes cast.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Roberto CISNEROS)

As preliminary results reveal, José Raúl Mulino, who belongs to the right-wing populist opposition camp, is likely to have won the presidential election in Panama. Particularly explosive: ex-President Ricardo Martinelli, who was convicted of corruption, was also from this camp. He, in turn, is not aware of any guilt - and sees himself as politically persecuted.

After more than 90 percent of the votes had been counted, Mulino achieved just under 34.5 percent according to the Central American country's electoral court on Sunday evening (local time). In second place with around 25 percent was Ricardo Lombana - a lawyer who denounced corruption.

However, the candidate of the anti-system party Otro Camino (Another Way) already recognized Mulino's victory. The approximately three million eligible voters also voted on all 71 parliamentary seats and almost 800 local offices.

Martinelli is stuck in Nicaraugua's embassy
Mulino was originally the vice presidential candidate of the right-wing alliance Alianza para Salvar a Panamá (Alliance to Save Panama) - alongside Martinelli. However, when Martinelli was excluded from the election after being sentenced to more than ten years in prison for corruption, Mulino moved up. Martinelli describes himself as politically persecuted and has been staying in the Nicaraguan embassy since February - of all places, the left-wing authoritarian country wants to grant him asylum. Mulino visited him at the embassy on Sunday after casting his vote.

Mulino visits ex-President Martinelli (right) at the embassy.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Jose Raul Mulino‘s campaign office)

The joy was great.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Jose Raul Mulino‘s campaign office)

Martinelli is under investigation in other corruption cases. Panama's constitution prohibits candidates who have been sentenced to more than five years in prison from standing for election. Many voters saw Mulino as Martinelli's deputy, while his opponents described him as a puppet of the former president.

Mulino announced on election night that he accepted the decision of the people of Panama "with great responsibility and humility" after a "very difficult" election campaign full of obstacles in which attempts were made to "boycott" a "legally constituted" party being able to put forward a candidate for the presidency.

Panama's economic growthslows down
The rapid economic growth of recent years in Panama has recently slowed down. A drought has reduced shipping traffic through the Panama Canal. Social inequality was an issue in the election campaign, as was Panama's situation as a transit country for many migrants on their way to the USA. The 64-year-old Mulino, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Security and Justice, said he wanted to stop the crossing of the Darién jungle from Colombia to Panama - more than half a million people used the dangerous migration route last year.

Mulino is set to replace incumbent Laurentino Cortizo as head of state and government in July - the centrist politician and agribusinessman has been in power since 2019. Panama's constitution prohibits direct re-election.

Overcoming the social divide
Mulino took office with the promise of securing prosperity through ambitious investments in infrastructure and an increase in the minimum wage. He faces the task of overcoming the social divide, regaining the trust of the electorate, which has become disenchanted with corruption, solving the pressing economic problems and restoring the country's reputation as an investment paradise. He also wants to stop irregular migration through the Darién jungle in the south of the Central American country towards the USA.