Another candidate, Jose Gabriel Carizo, was also absent, saying he would not participate if organizers were unable to summon Mulino.
The remaining field included Ricardo Lombana and Romulo Ru, two candidates who also ran in the last election, and former President Martín Torrijos. According to recent opinion polls, all three are effectively tied for second place behind Mulino.
The candidates promised job creation (some at an outrageous level) and agreed, primarily on the need to build new reservoirs to ensure there was enough water to power the Panama Canal. did. This vital shipping route has been forced to reduce the number of ships plying between the Pacific and Caribbean each day due to reduced water availability needed to operate the giant locks.
The debate comes as Panama awaits a Supreme Court ruling on a challenge to electoral authorities' decision to allow Mulino to run without a running mate.
Martinelli, a 71-year-old businessman and supermarket magnate who ruled Panama from 2009 to 2014, was arrested last July in a case dating back to 2017 related to his 2010 purchase of a publishing company that owned a national newspaper. was convicted of money laundering. He was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.
Panama's constitution prohibits anyone sentenced to five years or more in prison for a crime from running for president.
Last year, the U.S. government banned Martinelli and his immediate family from entering the country due to their involvement in “serious” corruption.
In February, Nicaragua granted asylum to Martinelli, who had barricaded himself in the country's embassy in Panama. Weeks later, Panamanian authorities ordered his arrest after a judge changed his conditional release while he was appealing his prison sentence. Panama has not allowed Nicaragua to deport Martinelli.
This drama created uncertainty in the election.
“This is unprecedented because it has very specific characteristics. It's a combination of different factors that make it very complex,” said Daniel Zovatto of the Wilson Center's Latin America Program. . “This is one of the most complex things I've seen in 40 years.”
