Two days before the vote and in a marathon session, the majority of the extraordinary plenary session (eight of nine magistrates) of the CSJ announced the opinion that declares that the decision of the Electoral Tribunal (TE) of March 4, which appointed Mulino, until then aspiring vice president, as a replacement for former president Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for money laundering, which disqualified him from that consultation.
In addition, the former ruler and billionaire businessman, who was the standard-bearer of the Realando Metas (RM) awnings – a party he founded – and Alianza, received asylum since February 7 in the Nicaraguan embassy in this capital, from where he asserts that he is a persecuted person. political.
The Supreme Court admitted the claim of unconstitutionality against the TE Agreement, since Mulino is running without a vice president, which violates constitutional articles, in addition to the fact that he was not elected in primaries by RM nor did he receive a letter from the highest electoral body accrediting him as a presidential candidate.
The argument of the CSJ, even with criticism of the TE’s performance, is to respect the right of political parties to participate in the electoral tournament and, according to the statement made public, to protect the sovereign will of the Panamanian people and defenders of democracy.
After this situation that removed the prevailing uncertainty about the formation of the ballot itself, Panamanians began a period of reflection before deciding between seven candidates for the Presidency of the Republic, among other popularly elected positions.
In addition to Mulino – to date the favorite in voting intentions according to surveys -, former president Martín Torrijos (2004-2009), standard bearer of the Popular Party and second in those polls, participates in the electoral tournament.
Also running as presidential candidates are Ricardo Lombana (Other Path Movement), Rómulo Roux (Democratic Change and Panameñista Party), José Gabriel Carrizo (Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), as well as Maribel Gordón and Zulay Rodríguez, by free nomination.
At the last minute, the also independent, Melitón Arrocha, declined his participation and urged to support Torrijos’ candidacy, which earned him the rejection of the Social Independent Alternative Party (PAIS), which supported him; and its president and founder, José Alberto Álvarez.
The current ban provides for other restrictions such as a “dry law” from 12:00 local time this Saturday until the same time on Monday, May 6, as established by Decree 29 of May 30, 2022.
In order to guarantee equity in the process, the presence of flags, posters and any type of propaganda is also prohibited within 50 meters of the more than three thousand 37 voting centers, with the exception of orientation signage.
During the week, the political campaigns of the candidates Gordon and Rodríguez also concluded; and a mission of 50 observers arrived in the country headed by Wilfredo Penco, president of the Electoral Court of Uruguay and head of the Electoral Observer Mission of the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (Uniores).
The TE magistrates also held a meeting with the observer mission of the Organization of American States (OAS), headed by former Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, and already deployed in all the country’s provinces with a team of 70 experts.
This Sunday, May 5, without a second round, Panamanians will decide at the polls the president and vice president of the country, 71 deputies for the National Assembly (Parliament), 81 mayors, 701 township representatives, 11 councilors and 20 deputies to the Central American Parliament ( Parlacen) for the period from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029.
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