Promercado Mulino wins the presidency of Panama and says he is not “anyone’s puppet”

The right-wing lawyer José Raúl Mulino won Sunday’s presidential election in Panama and in his first speech he claimed not to be “nobody’s puppet”, in reference to former president Ricardo Martinelli, whom he replaced as a candidate.

“This person here is no one’s puppet (…) I am not here because someone put me here or because of someone’s finger.“, said Mulino during his victory speech in a hotel in the capital, amid the joy of his followers.

Mulino64 years old, won the presidency with 34% of the vote, nine points above his immediate follower, the center-right lawyer Ricardo Lombana, with 95% of polling stations counted in single-round elections.

The dolphin of Martinelli receives a country that suffers the attacks of deep-rooted corruption, a drought that reduced the transit of ships through the canal, the engine of its economy, and a wave of migrants crossing its dangerous Darien jungle on its way to the United States.

The elections were marked by the influence of Martinelliwho appointed Mulino as his substitute when he was disqualified as a candidate by his party Realizing Goals (RM, the same acronym as his name) after confirming a sentence against him of almost 11 years for money laundering.

Minister of Security of the government of Martinelli (2009-2014), visited his political godfather at the Nicaraguan embassy, ​​where he has been granted asylum since February to avoid prison.

His candidacy was endorsed by the court just two days before the vote, as it had been challenged for not having gone through primaries or having a vice president on the payroll. “I am not encouraged by a drop of revenge against anyone.”, he stated in this regard.

In a day with a participation of more than 78%, Panamanians elected in addition to the president for the next five years, 71 deputies and local governments.

The government rules

A big unknown is the role that Martinelli will play starting July 1 in the government of Mulino.

Analysts see it as a possibility that offers safe passage to the 74-year-old former president to travel to Nicaragua or, even more, some kind of pardon.

“I respect the autonomy of each State organ, but it is up to the Executive, and it will be, to direct the destinies of the Panamanian nation.” of the country, he stated Mulino.

Although the fatigue with corruption is palpable in the streets, Martinelli, also accused of telephone spying and bribery from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, enjoys popularity.

“Panama advanced. Whoever does not accept it is very scoundrel“Alberto Cedeño, a 41-year-old employee of the Colón free zone, told AFP, recalling the country’s economic boom during the Martinelli government, driven by large infrastructure works.

Thanks to that longing, Mulino He always appeared in the polls well above his three immediate followers, in addition to Lombana, the former social democratic president Martín Torrijos (2004-2009), who obtained 16% on Sunday, and the former chancellor Rómulo Roux (12%).

“I am not encouraged by confrontations of any kind, but (…) national problems must be faced accordingly, without the slightest hint of fear”, he stated.

“Huge problems”

Although the economy grew 7.3% in 2023, this year it will slow down to 2.5% according to the IMF, hit by the drought that affects the canal and the closure of a copper mine after massive protests in defense of the environment.

“The problems are enormous“, he acknowledged Mulino.

Threatening its competitiveness, the canal reduced ship traffic due to low water levels; while the Canadian mining company, which generated 40,000 jobs, began litigation to claim US$20,000 million in compensation.

President Laurentino Cortizo, of the majority Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD, social democrat), leaves behind a fiscal deficit of 7.4%, a public debt of 50,000 million and a collapsed social security system.

“To our international creditors I send a message: this country will honor its debt and we will work to pay it to restructure it“, he asserted Mulino.

Economist Felipe Chapman estimates that the next president, who would deal with a fragmented parliament, will have to take adjustment measures and then seek economic growth with social progress.

In the country with one of the highest GDP per capita in Latin America, there are communities without drinking water, electricity, health services and even garbage collection. Panama is one of the most unequal countries in the world, according to the World Bank.

MulinoMartinelli’s former Security Minister with a reputation for authoritarianism, will also have to face the migratory wave that is crossing the dangerous Darién jungle, which he promised “close”.