{"id":17982,"date":"2024-04-04T09:14:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T09:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/04\/panamas-2024-election-what-to-know\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T09:14:07","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T09:14:07","slug":"panamas-2024-election-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/04\/panamas-2024-election-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama\u2019s 2024 Election: What to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"549\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/04\/03\/multimedia\/00panama-election-explainer-jzwf\/00panama-election-explainer-jzwf-facebookJumbo.jpg?fit=1050,549&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Panama\u2019s 2024 Election: What to Know\" title=\"Panama\u2019s 2024 Election: What to Know\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<hr class=\"css-7ad88g e1mu4ftr0\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-544caec2\">Why does this election matter?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Political crisis has embroiled Panama\u2019s May 5 presidential election, exacerbating uncertainty in a country dealing with drought and fallout from widespread protests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Former President Ricardo Martinelli, who had appeared in <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamaamerica.com.pa\/politica\/martinelli-mulino-lideran-encuesta-con-el-43-de-respaldo-1228326\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">polls<\/a> as the front-runner, was <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/03\/05\/world\/americas\/panama-martinelli-disqualified-president.html\" title=\"\">disqualified<\/a> from running after he received a 10-year sentence for money laundering. Panama\u2019s Electoral Tribunal has allowed his running mate, a former public security minister named Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino, to take his place. Mr. Martinelli claims he is being politically persecuted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Martinelli governed Panama during a period of strong economic growth and was popular despite his conviction. Mr. Mulino seems to have inherited his following. The result is a paradox: Although Panamanians see corruption as one of the country\u2019s most pressing problems, they have also shown the highest support for Mr. Mulino, who strongly backs Mr. Martinelli.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The election takes place amid wide frustration with the political establishment. The current president, Laurentino Cortizo, from Panama\u2019s largest political party, is extremely unpopular and has weathered corruption scandals. His administration drew enormous protests, with Panamanians paralyzing the country in 2023 to oppose a copper-mining contract that critics said would endanger the environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Political conflicts and social upheaval have affected the climate for foreign investment, an area that Panama relies on heavily. In March, Fitch Ratings downgraded Panama\u2019s credit rating, citing the government\u2019s closing of the mine after the protests. Growth of the country\u2019s gross domestic product is <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imf.org\/en\/News\/Articles\/2024\/03\/03\/cs030324-panama-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2024-article-iv-mission\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">expected to decline<\/a> to 2.5 percent in 2024 from 7.5 percent in 2023 as a result of the closure, according to the International Monetary Fund.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-3f68702e\">Who is running?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Eight candidates are competing for a five-year term in a single-round vote. Panama does not permit incumbent presidents to run for a second consecutive term. Panama is also choosing its representatives on the National Assembly and in local governments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Besides Mr. Mulino, hopefuls include Jos\u00e9 Gabriel Carrizo, known as Gaby, who is the current vice president; Mart\u00edn Torrijos, a former president and son of a Panamanian dictator who negotiated for the United States to hand over control of the Panama Canal; R\u00f3mulo Roux, a former foreign minister; and Ricardo Lombana, a former diplomat.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-60ea1bab\">What are the main issues?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Panama, a global trading hub, has been one of the hemisphere\u2019s fastest-growing economies, with development driven by the expansion of the Panama Canal and investors drawn by free-trade agreements and the use of the dollar as a local currency. But the next president will have to address many fiscal, environmental, migration and corruption issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Panama\u2019s pension system suffers from a high deficit. The economy, which is largely based on service work, also has a shortage of skilled labor and high numbers of informal workers, which aggravates income inequality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Environmental challenges include a drought that has <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/03\/21\/business\/panama-canal-water-revenue.html\" title=\"\">created low water levels<\/a> in the canal, resulting in a reduced number of ships allowed through. The financial impact has so far been limited because of increases in tolls before the water crisis began, but shipping companies may eventually look for ways to avoid the canal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Hundreds of thousands of migrants trek through Panama\u2019s Dari\u00e9n Gap jungle, creating a humanitarian burden the next government will have to address. Finally, corruption is an ever-present concern, with the high-profile \u201c<a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icij.org\/investigations\/panama-papers\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Panama Papers<\/a>\u201d and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icij.org\/investigations\/bribery-division\/bribery-division-what-is-odebrecht-who-is-involved\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Odebrecht bribery<\/a> scandals placing the country in an unflattering spotlight in recent years.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-17709ef8\">Who is expected to win?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.panamaamerica.com.pa\/nacion\/jose-raul-mulino-lidera-todas-las-encuestas-1233749\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Polls show<\/a> Mr. Mulino with a more than 10-point lead over Mr. Lombana, Mr. Torrijos and Mr. Roux, his closest rivals. Mr. Mulino\u2019s campaign has said that \u201cMulino is Martinelli,\u201d and it is unclear whether Mr. Mulino can help Mr. Martinelli\u2019s situation if he is elected president. Mr. Martinelli fled to the Nicaraguan Embassy in Panama City after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In March, Panama\u2019s Supreme Court said it would hear a challenge to the Electoral Tribunal\u2019s decision to allow Mr. Mulino to replace Mr. Martinelli as a presidential candidate. It is unclear when it will rule.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-78149745\">When will we learn the result?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The Electoral Tribunal will provide informal election results after 4:30 p.m. on election day. The winner is expected to become clear that night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why does this election matter? Political crisis has embroiled Panama\u2019s May 5 presidential election, exacerbating uncertainty in a country dealing with drought and fallout from widespread protests. Former President Ricardo Martinelli, who had appeared in polls as the front-runner, was disqualified from running after he received a 10-year sentence for money laundering. Panama\u2019s Electoral Tribunal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/04\/03\/multimedia\/00panama-election-explainer-jzwf\/00panama-election-explainer-jzwf-facebookJumbo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[50,23421],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17982"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17982"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17984,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17982\/revisions\/17984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}