Eight candidates are vying for the position, led by the protégé of a former head of state convicted of corruption.
Panamanians are heading to the general election to elect the country’s next president and vote for hundreds of lawmakers and officials.
After weeks of campaign rallies, more than three million voters will decide which of eight candidates is best positioned to solve Panama’s pressing economic problems, fight corruption and restore the country’s reputation as an investment haven.
No single party is expected to win control of the legislature, where 885 seats are up for grabs.
Polling stations will be open to all eligible voters for eight hours from 7am (12pm GMT).
Jose Raul Mulino, a former minister who remained on the list after his candidate, popular ex-President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-14), was disqualified from running due to a money laundering conviction, is leading in opinion polls.
Martinelli dominated much of the race, campaigning for his former vice president at the Nicaraguan embassy, where he sought refuge on February 8 after receiving political asylum.
Mulino maintains his connection with the ex-president, is rarely seen without his blue “Martinelli Mulino 2024” cap and promises to help Martinelli if he is elected. He has also promised a return to the dynamic economy under Martinelli.
Romulo Roux, in his second attempt to win the presidency, and former president Martin Torrijos alternated between second and third place. Close behind are Ricardo Lombana, who also ran in the last election, and current Vice President Jose Gabriel Carrizo.
Panama’s election rules do not allow for a runoff, so Sunday’s result is final. Campaigns have said they will send volunteers to polling stations to monitor voting and ensure a fair election.
The winner – who will serve as head of state and prime minister of Panama – takes office on July 1.
restlessness
Mulino’s campaign message appears to be resonating with many voters weary of Panama’s political establishment, which was rocked by weeks of mass anti-government protests last year.
The protests were directed against a 20-year government concession for the Canadian mining company First Quantum to continue operating the Cobre Panama copper mine. Critics said the mine endangered the environment and water at a time when drought was so severe that it had effectively hindered trade transit through the Panama Canal.
Lawmakers from various parties who supported the controversial contract faced a backlash that could damage their support, as many Panamanians who protested last year said the contract was awarded through corruption.
Panama’s Supreme Court declared the treaty unconstitutional in November.
Corruption has become a sensitive issue for voters. Local media recently reported on lucrative student loans and scholarships awarded to the children of politicians and wealthy top families.
The next government will have to contend with a troubled pension fund system, high national debt and lost revenue from the closure of the mine, which accounted for about 5 percent of gross domestic product.