Unlike Britain, there does seem to be a hint of election fever here, at least in the media – although I didn’t notice much of it on a trip out today. The US Embassy has asked US citizens in the country to exercise caution when traveling this Sunday, and avoid any demos etc. One hopes that the fact that the sale of alcohol is banned from midday tomorrow until midday on Monday may help to cool the temperature.
At the last moment, the Supreme Court has cleared ex-President Martinelli’s replacement, Mulino, as a candidate; though it criticised the Tribunal Electoral for its actions, accusing it of exercising “undue influence”.
As well as alcohol being banned, from midnight tonight all political campaigning is prohibited, and there will be no more polls published. The latest poll continues to show Mulino ahead, with the next 3 of the other 8 candidates having ratings roughly equal in total to Mulino’s.
Meanwhile, we are told that 95% of Panamanians residing abroad and registered in the Registry of Voters Residing Abroad (RERE) have voted. Voting is not compulsory here, though it was during the dicatorship years – when they clipped your ID card to show you had voted.
Both CNN and the Guardian in the UK have run features on the election, the latter referring to a “backdrop of social unrest and drought”. Meanwhile, Transparency International refers to an election which “intensifies the ongoing political crisis, fueled by social inequality and corruption protests in recent years”. Transparency International notes that corruption is a leading concern among voters.
Finally, the latest Covid-19 statistics show a further 45 new cases and 1 new fatality in the 2 weeks to 27 April, and 22 of the 35 active cases being in hospital (though none in the ICU).
On a personal note, visited the former US Army’s Fort Amador, left long more or less derelict, now being developed. It was nice to note that the bars, restaurants and boutique hotel are largely using the original buildings – rather than adopting the usual Panamanian fashion of demolishing a building of character and replacing it with some anonymous edifice that soon begins to look shabby.
3 MAY 2024
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