Former social-democratic ruler and Panamanian presidential candidate Martín Torrijos lashed out this Saturday against right-wing politician José Raúl Mulino, whom he called a substitute for the “candidate of corruption” in reference to former President Ricardo Martinelli, who is disqualified due to a corruption conviction and has been granted asylum in the Embassy of Nicaragua.
“Let Mulino come, with his corrupt friends!” Torrijos said before a thousand supporters in a hotel hall in Panama City at the closing of the campaign for the May 5 elections.
“You have the opportunity to decide if you want the substitute for the candidate of corruption and impunity, who has only committed to solving the problems of his friends with the law, or if you choose those of us who are committed to forming a decent government and solving your problems,” he added.
Torrijos, 60, who governed from 2004 to 2009, is one of the favorites among eight candidates who will compete for the presidency in an election that is decided in a single round and by simple majority.
An April 16 poll by the Doxa firm placed Torrijos in third place with 13% of the vote intention, behind Mulino (34%) and center-right lawyer and also opposition candidate Ricardo Lombana (15%).
Mulino, former Security Minister under Martinelli (2009-2014), was a vice-presidential candidate on the former president’s ticket. Martinelli was disqualified by the Electoral Tribunal after being sentenced to almost 11 years in prison for money laundering. The former president has been granted asylum since February.
Panamanians who support Martinelli claim that during his government, the economy, driven by large infrastructure works such as the expansion of the Panama Canal and the first metro line, was better. Some supporters say: “He stole, but he did.”
“They say they did? Yes, but they did it by stealing! ‘He did but he stole’ is not valid (…). I am not here to cover up for anyone. Not for the shameless ones from before or the shameless ones now,” Torrijos stated.
The former president, son of the late General Omar Torrijos, who managed to recover the interoceanic canal from American hands, is running in these elections with a small Christian Democratic party, after breaking more than a year ago with the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), founded by his father almost half a century ago.
“As Martín is Torrijos’ son, I always follow his lead (…). He has more experience, is the most capable and, above all, the most sincere,” Edwin Hernández, who attended the rally with his wife and daughter, told AFP while the song “Patria” by Panamanian singer Rubén Blades plays.
