Panamanians voted for presidential elections Sunday. The main issues are reducing the wealth gap and clean up politics after numerous corruption scandals.
Panamanians voted Sunday in a presidential election where about 80 percent of 2.7 million registered voters are expected to cast ballots for the 2019-2024 term as well as chose the National Assembly lawmakers and Parliamentary members.
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Polls close at 4 p.m. local time Sunday with preliminary results expected around 6 p.m. local time.
The next president will inherit one of the world's fastest-growing economies, in which China has an increasing interest. But there is also mounting pressure to reduce the wealth gap and clean up politics in the wake of the corruption scandal involving Brazilian builder Odebrecht and the Panama Papers documents leak.
Of the seven presidential candidates, those leading the polls are Jose Blandon, Laurentino "Nito" Cortizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), and Romulo Roux from Cambio Democratico (Democratic Change), as well as the independent runner, Ricardo Lombana. Ana Matilde Gomez, an independent who is not one of the top contenders according to polls, is the only woman running for the presidential office.
Laurentio "Nito" Cortizo, the 65-year-old former agricultural minister, has wooed the country's 2.8 million voters with promises to improve government services like water and healthcare by clamping down on alleged embezzlement of public funds in the Central American country, whose trans-oceanic canal handles some $270 billion of cargo each year.
"The corrupt and incompetent are stealing our money, threatening our future," Cortizo said during his final campaign rally in the capital Wednesday.
Promises to curb white-collar crime have featured prominently in the race. The leading candidates presented proposals that would change the way public contracts are awarded.
Cortizo's main challenger, Romulo Roux of the center-right Democratic Change (DC) party, offered a constitutional reform to strengthen the independence of the judicial branch.
Roux is backed by jailed ex-President Ricardo Martinelli who is being accused of spying on and intercepting communications from over 150 journalists, opponents, and activists during his 2009-2014 term.
"As Panamanians we have to see how far we want to go in terms of sanctions and punishments for people or companies when there is proof of corruption, to ensure punishment without losing competitiveness," said Severo Sousa, president of the National Council of Private Companies in Panama.
Still, many argue that not enough has been done to fight graft and impunity.
"The general sense in Panama is that the powerful and the mighty can get away with anything," said Olga de Obaldia of Transparency International in Panama.