Jose Raul Mulino, the stand-in for former president Ricardo Martinelli in Panama’s presidential election, was set to become the new leader of the nation as authorities unofficially called the race on Sunday night with 88% of the vote counted.
The 64-year-old former security minister led the race with nearly 35% of the votes, giving him a nine-point lead over the other candidates, who conceded a few hours after the polls closed.
Panama does not have a runoff system, so the candidate with the biggest share of votes wins.
Mr Mulino replaced Mr Martinelli as candidate after the firebrand former leader was banned from running after being sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering.
Mr Mulino, a less charismatic politician, coasted on Mr Martinelli’s popularity and the booming economy seen under the former leader as Mr Martinelli campaigned while staying in the Nicaraguan Embassy, where he has sought asylum.
Now, following one of the most tumultuous elections in Panama’s recent history, Mr Mulino is about to become the new leader of a country with pressing challenges and simmering discontent among many.
The president will grapple with a slowed economy, historic levels of migration, a drought that is handicapping transit in the Panama Canal and the economic aftermath of mass anti-mining protests last year.
“It’s a very bizarre situation, unprecedented. I haven’t seen anything quite like this, not only in Panama but any other Latin American country that I could think of,” said Michael Shifter, a senior fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue.
“Panama is in for a tumultuous period.”
Mr Mulino, running under the Achieving Goals and Alliance parties, faced off against anti-corruption candidate Ricardo Lombana, who trailed in second, former president Martin Torrijos and former candidate Romulo Roux.
All three conceded to Mr Mulino on Sunday evening, with Mr Roux saying Panama chose “a different proposal than the one we put forward”.
But his ties with Mr Martinelli seemed to pull him across the finish line.
Mr Mulino ran on the promise to usher in another wave of economic prosperity and stop migration through the Darien Gap, the perilous jungle region overlapping Colombia and Panama, which was traversed by half a million migrants last year.
The lawyer also vowed to help his ally in his legal woes. After voting on Sunday, Mr Mulino strolled into the Nicaraguan Embassy trailed by photographers and wrapped Mr Martinelli in a big hug, saying, “Brother, we’re going to win!”
Before even half of the votes had been counted, supporters in Mr Mulino’s campaign headquarters erupted in celebration, singing and waving flags. Panama does not have a runoff system, so the candidate with the biggest share of votes wins.
Mr Martinelli posted a blurry photo of his own face on the X social media platform, writing: “This is the face of a happy and content man.”
