Panama Elections I

On May 3rd Panama votes for her next president as well as a host of other offices. Besides choosing among Ricardo Martinelli, Balbina Herrera, and Guillermo Endara for president, Panamanians will decide on a vice president, twenty Central America parliament delegates, seventy-one National Assembly delegates, seventy-five district mayors, 623 Corregimiento representatives and seven councilors. This year Panama’s election goes forward with two differences from former elections. This year Panamanians living abroad are allowed to vote as well as citizens in nursing homes, hospitals, and prisons. Also, there is a new “Dry Law” in effect, La Ley Seca, so that from noon May 2nd to noon May 4th all bars, discos, and other places selling alcoholic drinks will be closed.

This year the presidential election has come down to three candidates. The one who gets the most votes will be president. There is no requirement that the winner gain a majority so, unlike many Latin American countries, there will be no runoff election.

Ricardo Martinelli is a Panamanian businessman who was defeated for President in 2004 and is currently leading in the polls. Martinelli has allied his Democratic Change party (Cambio Democratico) with three other parties during this election. Balbina Herrera is the candidate of the current ruling party, the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) and has not led in the polls since last year. Guillermo Endara was Panama’s president from 1990 to 1994 and leads the Moral Vanguard Party (Vanguardia Mora de la Patria). He looks to have less than ten percent of the votes according to the polls.

Next: a little about local and representative government in Panama.