Jose Raul Mulino wins Panama's Presidential Election amid challenges

Panama's electoral authority officially declared former Public Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino of the right-wing opposition alliance as the winner of Sunday's presidential election.

Representing the Realizing Goals party and the Alianza movement, which received more than 90% of the vote, Mulino received 34% of the vote, beating his closest rival, anti-system candidate Ricardo Lombana, who received 25%.

A few days before the election, Panama's Supreme Court rejected a request to disqualify Mulino, who ran in February to replace former President Ricardo Martinelli. Martinelli, once a leading figure in the presidential race, was barred from running due to a 10-year prison sentence for money laundering. Although he has been residing at the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City since February, Martinelli's influence is great and Mulino has been accused of being his puppet.

Mulino's victory came amid challenges, including severe drought, mass protests, and economic stagnation. Mulino promised to revitalize the economy by creating jobs, increasing investment, and strengthening infrastructure.

He also aims to address migration concerns by closing the Darien Gap, a dense jungle corridor between Colombia and Panama used by migrants traveling from South America through Central America and Mexico to the United States.

In 2023, more than half a million people crossed the Darien Gap, including 113,000 children, and authorities expect an even higher influx in 2024.

As Mulino prepares to take over, he faces the daunting task of tackling these pressing issues while fulfilling his promises to the Panamanian people.

Source: AA