Panama's former security minister Jose Raul Mulino on Sunday stormed to victory in a presidential poll dominated by his old boss, the popular ex-leader Ricardo Martinelli, who buttressed his campaign despite being holed up in Nicaragua's embassy.
PANAMA CITY, May 5 - Panama's former security minister Jose Raul Mulino on Sunday stormed to victory in a presidential poll dominated by his old boss, the popular ex-leader Ricardo Martinelli, who buttressed his campaign despite being holed up in Nicaragua's embassy."Mission accomplished, damn it," Mulino told his supporters to loud cheers and applause. "To Ricardo Martinelli, friend, mission accomplished as well.
In a strange election campaign, Martinelli played a key role drumming up support for Mulino from Nicaragua's embassy in Panama's capital, where he sought asylum. Many voters saw Mulino as a proxy for Martinelli, though opponents called him a puppet of the former president. Among his top priorities will be fixing Panama's pressing economic problems, tackling corruption, and restoring the country's reputation as an investment haven.
Mulino will inherit the controversy surrounding a giant copper mine. The Cobre Panama mine, which accounted for about 1% of total copper supply, was ordered shut last year after a government contract with Canadian miner First Quantum was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Corruption has become a hot-button issue for voters. Local media has recently reported on generous student loans and scholarships granted to the children of politicians and wealthy, high-profile families.
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