By Valentine Hilaire and Elida Moreno
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panamanians will head to the polls in Sunday’s normal election to elect one in all eight contenders to be the nation’s subsequent president and vote for tons of of native lawmakers and officers.
Following weeks of marketing campaign occasions that featured catchy reggaeton songs and standard entertainers, over 3 million voters will resolve who’s finest positioned to repair Panama’s urgent financial issues, sort out corruption and restore the nation’s fame as an funding haven.
Jose Raul Mulino, a former minister who changed standard ex-president Ricardo Martinelli on the poll after Martinelli was barred from operating as a consequence of a cash laundering conviction, is main in opinion polls. Mulino has promised to usher in prosperity and to maintain Martinelli out of jail.
Romulo Roux, in his second bid to win the presidency, and ex-president Martin Torrijos have alternated between second and third place. Trailing intently behind is Ricardo Lombana, who additionally ran prior to now election, and present vice chairman Jose Gabriel Carrizo.
Panama’s electoral guidelines don’t require a run-off, making Sunday’s consequence last. Campaigns have stated they’ll ship volunteers to the polls to supervise voting and guarantee a good election.
No single celebration is forecast to win management of the legislature, the place 885 seats are up for grabs.
Lawmakers throughout completely different events who backed a controversial authorities contract with Canadian miner First Quantum (NASDAQ:) have confronted a backlash that might damage their assist.
Many Panamanians took to the streets final yr to protest the Cobre Panama mine contract, which opponents argued lacked environmental ensures and was riddled with corruption. Panama’s prime court docket dominated the contract unconstitutional in November.
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Panama’s subsequent authorities must cope with a troubled pension fund system, excessive ranges of public debt and the loss in earnings from the closure of the mine, which accounted for about 5% of gross home product.
Corruption has change into a hot-button situation for voters. Native media has lately reported on profitable pupil loans and scholarships granted to the kids of politicians and rich high-profile households.
After a report 520,000 migrants final yr crossed the treacherous jungle that connects Panama and Colombia, generally known as the Darien Hole, migration can be on voters’ minds. Some candidates have vowed to open up the trail, which may improve migration flows, whereas others need to increase controls to close it down fully.
The following administration may also inherit issues confronted by the Panama Canal, which noticed revenues tumble after it was pressured to chop ship crossings as a consequence of a chronic drought.
