Panama’s Mulino declared ‘unofficial’ winner of presidential election
CNN
José Raúl Mulino, a rightwing former public security minister, was declared the “unofficial” winner of Panama’s presidential election on Sunday, the country’s electoral court confirmed.
José Raúl Mulino, a rightwing former public security minister, was declared the “unofficial” winner of Panama’s presidential election on Sunday, the country’s electoral court confirmed. With over 90% of the total vote counted, Mulino secured about 34% of the ballots. His next closest rival, Ricardo Lombana, took second place with about 25%. Mulino has pledged to return the country to its economic heyday and to tackle high unemployment with a plan to incentivize private hiring with government funds. The Central American nation of 4.4 million people, once a GDP leader in the region, is at the crossroads international trade and migration in the region but faces a range of pressing issues from high inflation and unemployment to corruption and water access. “I receive with joy these results, which are the will of the majority of the Panamanian people in our democracy, which I assume with great responsibility and humility as a Panamanian,” Mulino said during his victory speech. He originally ran as the vice-presidential candidate of former President Ricardo Martinelli. After a court sentenced Martinelli to 11 years in prison for money laundering, Mulino moved to the top of the ticket.
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