Panamanians went to the polls on Sunday to elect their officials for the period 2024-2029. Despite being plagued by corruption, the election was closely watched with former president Ricardo Martinelli’s dolphin as the favorite to win. José Raúl Mulino, a 64-year-old right-wing lawyer, led the official count with over 34 percent of the votes.
The country faced several challenges in its current economic and social situation, including a fiscal deficit, public debt, and a collapsed social security system. The high GDP per capita did not make Panama immune to these issues, leaving it one of the most unequal countries in the world. The humanitarian crisis in the Darién jungle also received little attention from Panamanians or candidates despite its significance.
José Raúl Mulino promised to address this crisis and has been criticized for his authoritarian tendencies. There were eight presidential candidates with four having a chance of victory including José Raúl Mulino, Ricardo Lombana, Rómulo Roux, and former president Martín Torrijos. Despite some irregularities reported by political parties and the Electoral Tribunal, voter participation was high due to transparency and reliability emphasized by the electoral process in Panama.
