Voting began this Sunday in Panama with the opening of polling stations where they are called. more than 3 million Panamanians will elect the president and other positions in one of the most difficult general elections in the country’s history.

Election centers established by the Electoral Tribunal of Panama They opened as planned at 7:00 local time.Queues are already present at some of the 3,035 polling stations scattered across the Central American country and will close at 4pm local time (2100 GMT), with closing times subject to extension if there are voters waiting. to the reports of the Authority.

“I invite everyone to come out and vote (…) Whatever the results, Panama benefits by strengthening its democracy.“, stated the President of the Electoral Tribunal, Alfredo Junca, in an official statement.

Election Judge assured that the Court “offers certainty, certainty and certainty”, and affirmed that the country can have “confidence that the votes will be carefully verified by the citizens of civil society who will be seated at the voting tables.”

Hunka noted that “clientelism and disinformation” are enemies that must be defeated and that both are fought by going out to vote, thinking about what’s best for the country, “and choosing Panama.”

In this election, the results of which are expected to be close, 3,004,083 Panamanians called (50.3% women and 48.7% men) they will elect 885 positions.

They will be chosen too 20 members of the Parliament of Central America (Parlacen), 71 members of the National Assembly (NA), 81 mayors, 701 township representatives and 11 councillors, all with their deputies, for the constitutional period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029.

International Analyst Daniel Zovatto He noted that this is the seventh general election since 1994 and noted that it is unprecedented and comes at a very critical time. “This is a real crossroads, a turning point that Panama finds itself at.” he told the newspaper A country.

4458 votes have already been collected. preliminary online voting for the president, controversial procedure following initial chaos in digital presidential candidates’ boxes, according to the Electoral Tribunal (TE).

In this sense, the authorities reported that 95% of 3788 registered in the Register of Electors Residing Abroad (RERE) voted for the presidency between 23 April and 2 May, the period during which early online voting is allowed for this general election.

In addition, 523 of the 670 registered in the Registry of Early Voting (REVA), consisting of citizens located in Panama, During the same period they exercised their right to vote. reaching 78% participation.

Of the more than 3 million eligible voters, 75,837 18 year olds who will do it for the first time.

TE indicated that he has installed 40 tables in various senior centers, as well as another 77 in various prison centers so that prisoners can exercise their voice.

In this election fight they nine legally registered parties involved with eight presidential candidates, four of them have a chance of winning.

This is the former Minister of Security Jose Raul Mulinofrom Realizing Metas (RM), who replaced the disqualified Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) and is ranked first among eight candidates in the few polls available, with 37.6% of voting intentions, According to the latest survey published by La Prensa newspaper.

Ex-President Martin Torrijos (2004–2009), People’s Party (PP), Romulo Roux, for Democratic Change (CD) and Ricardo Lombana, The Movement Another Way (Moca) follows with support of 16.4%, 14.9% and 12.7% respectively, a “technical draw” with a margin of error of 2%.

Others have no obvious options, with Jose Gabriel Carrizo ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), the best of them with 8.3%, followed by independents Zulay Rodriguez (5.1%), Meliton Arrocha (2.4%) – who suddenly asked to vote for Torrijos at the end of his campaign – and the left Maribel Gordon (1%).

(according to information from EFE And Aristegui News)