(6 May 2024)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Panama City, Panama – 06 May 2024
1. Pedestrian street
2. Various of street vendors chatting by stands
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Vergara, street food seller:
"In my opinion, the people voted for the continuation of corruption, impunity, clientelism and everything that has to do with corruption. I think that as Panamanians we made a mistake by voting for this gentleman to the presidency."
4. Guillermo Valencia setting up his stand
5. Close of folded newspaper with president-elect José Raúl Mulino on front page
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Guillermo Valencia, perfume seller:
"I think it was fair, the people wanted that ― a change to see if we can get ahead."
7. Pull focus from perfume boxes to pedestrian street
8. Various of Guillermo Valencia sitting down, reading newspaper
9. El Carmen church and metro station
10. Food stand
11. Madelayne Baca working at stand
12. Empanadas being deep fried
13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Madelayne Baca, food seller:
"I voted for him (Mulino). It seems to me that we need a change because many say that we are heading towards a dictatorship, but even though the current government is still in power, in fact we are coming out of a dictatorship."
14. Empanadas on display
15. Food stand next to traffic
16. Traffic
STORYLINE:
People in Panama City on Monday reacted with mixed views to the victory of José Raúl Mulino in the country’s presidential election.
In a tumultuous election, preliminary results put Mulino, 64, on top to lead the normally sleepy Central American nation through a moment of political tension, historic migration and a struggling economy.
He won Sunday’s presidential election with 35% of the vote and a nine-point lead over his nearest opponent after dodging constitutional challenges to his own candidacy.
Madelayne Baca, who sells empanadas at a food stand in the capital’s financial district, was excited about the result.
"I voted for him (Mulino). It seems to me that we need a change," said Baca, 30.
But some were upset about the result.
"In my opinion, the people voted for the continuation of corruption, impunity, clientelism and everything that has to do with corruption," said José Vergara, 55, who sells hamburgers and hotdogs on the street in downtown Panama City.
Mulino’s last position in politics was as minister of security in then-President Ricardo Martinelli’s 2009-2014 administration.
He was initially tapped by the popular former leader to be his running mate, but then Martinelli was disqualified from running after he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for a money laundering conviction.
Martinelli has been sheltering in the Nicaraguan Embassy since February, where Mulino visited him on Sunday after voting.
While Mulino lacks Martinelli’s charisma, the economic boom seen under his ally pushed many voters to support Mulino at a time that Panama’s economy has lagged.
As president, Mulino has promised to stop soaring levels of migration through the Darien jungles, where more than a half million people crossed last year, though experts question the viability of his plan due to the sheer quantities of vulnerable people traveling through the passage.
AP video by Martín Silva
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