Poll Tracker: Panama's 2024 Presidential Election
Poll Tracker: Panama's 2024 Presidential Election
Polls show a close race between the eight candidates for the single-round May 5 vote. AS/COA Online looks at who’s leading.
When Panamanians vote for a president on May 5, they’ll be picking from a familiar set of names. On the ballot are former President Martín Torrijos (2004–2009) of the People’s Party, current Vice President José Gabriel Carrizo of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, and former Foreign Secretary Rómulo Roux of the Democratic Change party. Two independent candidates—national deputy Zulay Rodríguez and lawyer Ricardo Lombana—are also running.
However, the frontrunner in most polls is José Raúl Mulino of the Realizing Goals party, who served as foreign minister (1993–1994) and security minister (2010–2014). Mulino was originally supposed to be the vice-presidential candidate of former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009–2014), previously the favorite to win. An October Gallup poll put Martinelli at 43 percent of voter intention—34 percent higher than his closest rival.
But in July 2023, a court sentenced the ex-office holder to 11 years in prison for money laundering. That sentence has been upheld several times and rendered him ineligible to run, with two March court decisions finalizing the banning of his candidacy. Martinelli’s exit secured Mulino’s place on the top of the ticket.
As an unpredictable May 5 election nears, INDESA’s Felipe Chapman tells AS/COA’s Randy Melzi the next government faces a series of “fixable” problems.
AS/COA covered 2024's elections in the Americas, from presidential to municipal votes.
