Toldas have done so before, such as Realizando Metas (June 4 and July 2, when they confirmed their flag-bearer, former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014); and the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD, July 11), which opted for the Republic’s current Vice President, José Gabriel Carrizo.
On July 9, Cambio Democrático (CD) completed the process, confirming its leader Rómulo Roux as the only way to reach the Palacio de las Garzas (seat of the Executive).
With fewer members, in an Extraordinary National Postulation Congress, the Popular Party (PP) presented its offer, which fell to former President Martin Torrijos (2004-2009), and all have already announced that they will enter a phase of alliances.
June and July were the months scheduled by the Electoral Tribunal (TE) for the collectives with more than 100,000 supporters to hold primary elections and vote on their bid.
This Sunday, the Panameñismo will ratify Blandón, remembering that he was also a presidential candidate in 2019, but on a voluntary basis in this consultation, which the current head of state, Laurentino Cortizo of the PRD, emerged victorious from.
There are 253,308 Panamanians eligible to vote and 701 voting centers in these primary elections, which will cost around two million dollars.
According to TE, a total of one thousand seven pre-candidates will compete for 453 positions: one for president, 18 for deputy mayor, 39 for mayor, 393 for congressman, and two for city council.
The director of the electoral organization, Magistrate Osmán Valdés, explained to the press that from this Sunday the process of selecting the alliances and candidates from the postulations excluded from the primary elections will begin. One of the most striking elements of any primary was the turnout percentage, which political analysts say is one of the indicators of whether or not the membership agrees with the presented election bid.
Blandón estimates that more than 90,000 Panaméñistas, 35 percent of its membership, will be voting across the country this Sunday.
The collective is negotiating with CD to form an opposition coalition by May 2024 and has already reserved 226 positions. Of these, 21 are candidates for parliament, 29 are district mayors and 176 are corregimiento representatives; Therefore, the results of the day will be crucial.
Regarding this process, Blandón claimed that the awning arrives with a clearer vision of the country and the changes that need to be made over the next five years, which they have been working on since last September.
He said greater public and private investment, job creation and economic recovery are the axes of these strategies.
On May 5, 2024, Panamanians will vote for the country’s new president and vice president, 20 members of the Central American Parliament and 71 members of the National Assembly.
With the vote, they will also elect 81 mayors, 701 corregimiento representatives and 11 city councillors, all with their respective deputies, for the period from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029.
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