Voters choose the president after assessing the most likely candidate

Voters in Panama cast their ballots in a general election that was overshadowed by the exclusion of the man in charge of the election.

Former President Ricardo Martinelli was the most likely candidate to win until he was barred from running after being convicted of money laundering.

His replacement, Jose Raul Molino, is leading in the polls.

The person who receives the most votes in this round will be declared and sworn in as president on July 1.

Eight candidates are vying for the presidency, and voters will also elect members of Panama’s National Assembly.

Because presidents cannot serve two consecutive terms, the current president, Laurentino “Neto” Cortizo, will not seek re-election.

Opinion polls put Molyneux ahead. The 64-year-old lawyer, member of the Realizando Mitas (Achieving Goals) party, was Martinelli’s vice-presidential candidate.

But after Martinelli was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison for money laundering, Molino entered the presidential race.

However, Molyneux’s appointment also faced legal challenges.

Panama’s Supreme Court was asked to decide whether Molino’s failure to be selected by his party in the regular primaries invalidated his candidacy.

On Friday, just two days before the election, the court finally ruled that his appointment was constitutional.

Molino has the support of his former colleague Ricardo Martinelli, who has been living in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City since February, where he was granted political asylum.

From a small room in the embassy, ​​Martinelli posted video messages in support of Mr Molino, who was minister of the interior and security.

He did not say how he would close the dangerous road, but he made stopping immigration a key part of his law and order proposals.

A number of recent polls have put Molyneux ahead, but with around a fifth of registered voters saying they are undecided, his rivals still have a strong chance.

Two of those looking to defeat Molino are also very well-known names in Panamanian politics.

Martin Torrijos was president from 2004 to 2009. He is the son of Omar Torrijos, the military ruler who signed a treaty with the United States in 1977 to return the Panama Canal Zone to Panamanian sovereignty.

The 60-year-old is campaigning under the slogan ‘Safe Change’. He promised to invest in the Panama Canal, one of the main engines of the Panamanian economy.

He is running for the People’s Party, which he joined last year after leading the Revolutionary Democratic Party.

Romulo Ro (59 years old), former chairman of the board of directors of the Panama Canal, is running for the national presidency for the second time, after losing to current president Laurentino Cortizo in 2019.

The lawyer representing the Democratic Change Party says if elected he will implement an “aggressive” plan to create jobs and improve public services.

He also said he would not support the reopening of the controversial copper mine, even though he worked for the law firm representing the mine.

The other candidate who is trying to become president for the second time is Ricardo Lombana.

The 49-year-old lawyer stood as an independent in 2019 and this time stands for the The Other Way movement.

Lombana rejected Molyneux’s promise to “close” the Darien Gap, telling Spanish news agency Efe that “migration has not been stopped by walls since the existence of humanity.”

Instead, he proposes to improve security conditions for migrants crossing Panama on their way north.

Polling stations are expected to open at 7am local time (12pm GMT) and close nine hours later. Preliminary results are expected to be released shortly after polling stations close.