https://gazettengr.com/ex-president-ricardo-martinelli-convicted-of-money-laundering-banned-as-panamanians-choose-new-leader/

Voting is ongoing in the Panama general election as Panamanians choose the next president of the country and members of the national assembly following the disqualification of leading candidate ex-President Ricardo Martinelli.

Mr Martinelli, who was Panama president between 2009 and 2014, was a leading candidate and the favourite to win the presidential election before he was banned from running after the 73-year-old was found guilty of money laundering.

He was subsequently sentenced to 11-year imprisonment and replaced on the ballot by his running mate José Raúl Mulino, who is now in the lead to win the election according to opinion polls.

Mr Martinelli is backing his former running mate in the election and has made multiple campaign videos for Mr Mulino from inside the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City where he has been living since February after he was granted political asylum.

Meanwhile, Mr Mulino’s nomination was not without legal challenges after Panama’s top court was asked to rule if he was eligible to contest in the election with litigants citing he did not contest in his Realizando Metas (Achieving Goals) party customary primary election.

On Friday, the court ruled that Mr Mulino’s candidacy is constitutional as he faces off with seven other candidates in the race for the presidential seat. The candidate with the most votes in this round will be declared president and sworn in on 1 July.