By Valentine Hilaire and Elida Moreno
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panamanians will go to the polls in Sunday’s general election to elect one of eight candidates to be the country’s next president and vote for hundreds of lawmakers and local officials.
After weeks of campaign events that included catchy reggaeton songs and popular artists, more than 3 million voters will decide who is best positioned to solve Panama’s pressing economic problems, combat corruption and restore the country’s reputation as a paradise for investments.
José Raul Mulino, former minister who replaced the former popular president Ricardo Martinelli at the polls after Martinelli was barred from running due to a money laundering conviction, is leading in opinion polls. Mulino promised to bring prosperity and keep Martinelli out of prison.
Romulo Roux, in his second attempt to win the presidency, and former president Martín Torrijos alternated between second and third place. Right behind is Ricardo Lombana, who also ran in the previous elections, and current vice-president José Gabriel Carrizo.
Panama’s electoral rules do not require a runoff, making Sunday’s result definitive. The campaigns said they will send volunteers to the polls to oversee voting and ensure a fair election.
No party is expected to gain control of the legislature, where 885 seats are up for grabs.
Lawmakers from different parties who supported a controversial government contract with Canadian mining company First Quantum have faced a backlash that could undermine their support.
Many Panamanians took to the streets last year to protest the Cobre Panama mine contract, which opponents argued lacked environmental guarantees and was rife with corruption. Panama’s top court found the contract unconstitutional in November.
Panama’s next government will face a problematic pension fund system, high levels of public debt and the loss of income resulting from the closure of the mine, which represented around 5% of gross domestic product.
Corruption has become a controversial issue for voters. Local media recently reported on lucrative student loans and scholarships given to children of politicians and wealthy and prominent families.
After a record 520,000 migrants crossed the treacherous jungle that connects Panama and Colombia, known as the Darién Gap, last year, migration is also on voters’ minds. Some candidates have promised to open the path, which could increase migration flows, while others want to increase controls to close it completely.
The next administration will also inherit the problems faced by the Panama Canal, which has seen revenues fall after being forced to cut ship crossings due to a prolonged drought.
(Reporting by Valentine Hilaire and Elida Moreno; Editing by Anthony Esposito and Rosalba O’Brien)
