José Raúl Mulino, a Late Entrant to the Race, Wins Panama's Presidential Election

Panama City: José Raúl Mulino, stand-in for former President Ricardo Martinelli in Panama's presidential election, was set to become new leer of Central American nation as authorities unofficially called race Sunday night after his three nearest rivals conceded.

64-year-old former security minister h nearly 35 per cent of votes with more than 92 per cent of votes counted, giving him a nine-point le over his nearest competitor.

Mulino replaced Martinelli as candidate after firebrand former leer was banned from running after being sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering.

“Mission accomplished,” Mulino told a crowd of supporters, ding an expletive for emphasis. ”This is perhaps most important date of my life, and greatest responsibility of a Panamanian falls on my shoulders and my family to le destiny of nation.”

In his speech, he nodded to Martinelli, saying: “When you invited me to be vice president, I never imagined this.”

A ‘bizarre’ situation 

Mulino, a less charismatic politician, coasted on Martinelli’s popularity and booming economy seen under former leer as Martinelli campaigned while staying in Nicaraguan Embassy, where he h sought asylum.

Now, following one of most tumultuous elections in Panama’s recent history, Mulino is about to become new leer of a country with pressing challenges and simmering discontent among many.

president will grapple with a slowed economy, historic levels of migration, a drought that is handicapping transit in Panama Canal and 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 or Latin American country that I could think of,” said Michael Shifter, a senior fellow at Inter-American Dialogue. “Panama is in for a tumultuous period.”

Preliminary results showed that more than 77 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots, a historic turnout in a country where voting is not obligatory, furr underscoring importance of election in minds of Panamanians.

Panama doesn’t have a runoff system, so candidate with biggest share of votes wins.

Mulino, running under Achieving Goals and Alliance parties, faced off against anti-corruption candidate Ricardo Lombana, who trailed in second, former President Martín Torrijos and former candidate Rómulo Roux.

All three conceded Sunday evening, and outgoing President Laurentino Cortizo’s office said he called Mulino to offer congratulations and pledge to work with him for an orderly transition.

A ‘puppet’ candidate?

Mulino's ties with Martinelli are what seemed to pull him across finish line.

Mulino ran on promise to usher in anor wave of economic prosperity, and stop migration through Darien Gap, perilous jungle region overlapping Colombia and Panama that was traversed by half a million migrants last year.

lawyer also vowed to help his ally in his legal woes. After voting Sunday, Mulino strolled into Nicaraguan Embassy trailed by photographers and wrapped Martinelli in a big hug, saying, “Bror, we’re going to win!"

Before even half of votes h been counted, supporters in Mulino’s campaign hequarters erupted in celebration, singing and waving flags.

Martinelli posted a blurry photo of his own face on X social media platform, writing: “This is face of a happy and content man.” Now that Mulino is on his way in, what remains unclear is if president-elect will become “Martinelli's puppet” or if he'll chart his own path, Shifter said.

Despite fatigue of endemic corruption in Panama, many voters like Juan José Tinoco were willing to overlook or corruption scandals plaguing ir former leer in favour of humming economy seen during his presidency.

63-year-old bus driver voted for Mulino from his working-class area of small, concrete houses surrounded by extravagant skyscrapers.

“We have problems with health services, education, we have garbage in streets ... and corruption that never goes away,” Tinoco said. “We have money here. This is a country that has lots of wealth, but we need a leer who dedicates himself to needs of Panama.”

presidential race h been in uncertain waters until Friday morning when Panama’s Supreme Court ruled that Mulino was permitted to run. It said he was eligible despite allegations that his candidacy wasn’t legitimate because he wasn’t elected in a primary.

A confluence of crises 

Mulino faces an uphill battle moving forward, on economy especially. Last year, Central American nation was roiled for weeks by mass anti-government protests, which came to encapsulate deeper discontent among citizens.

protests targeted a government contract with a copper mine, which critics said endangered environment and water at a time when drought has gotten so b that it has effectively handicapped tre transit through Panama Canal.

While many celebrated in November when country’s Supreme Court declared contract unconstitutional, mine closure and slashed canal transit will put Panama's new leer in a tight spot.

Meanwhile, country's debt is skyrocketing and much of economy has slowed, said Shifter, of Inter-American Dialogue, making it even harder for Mulino to regularise canal transit and staunch soaring levels of migration through Darien Gap.

"Panama is at a very different moment than it’s been over last 30 years," Shifter said. Mulino “is going to face formidable obstacles. I mean, it’s going to be a daunting task for him."