2009 Panamanian general election
3 May 2009 (2009-05-03)
Presidential election
 
Nominee Ricardo Martinelli Balbina Herrera
Party CD PRD
Popular vote 952,333 597,227
Percentage 60.03% 37.65%
Provinces won by Martinelli in aqua, by Herrera in blue.
President before election

Martín Torrijos
Democratic Revolutionary

 Elected President

Ricardo Martinelli
Democratic Change

General elections were held in Panama on May 3, 2009.[1]

Presidential race

Balbina Herrera was the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) candidate for President of Panama. She had previously served as President of the National Assembly during the Mireya Moscoso presidency,[2] and Housing Minister under outgoing president Martin Torrijos.[3] Herrera won her party's primary on September 7, 2008, defeating Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro with a ten-point lead.[3] The Liberal Party and the People's Party were in alliance with the PRD in support of Herrera. Herrera was also endorsed by Ruben Blades, a popular salsa musician who had previously run for president and served as Torrijos' Minister of Tourism,[4] and was initially considered the favorite for the presidency.[5] If elected, she would have become Panama's second female president.[3]

Ricardo Martinelli was the candidate of the opposition Democratic Change, also supported by the Patriotic Union Party, the Panameñista Party and the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement. Martinelli was a successful businessman, and was the chairman of the board of Panama's Super 99 supermarket chain.[6] During the presidency of Ernesto Pérez Balladares, Martinelli had served as Director of Social Security from 1994 to 1996.[5] From September 1999 to January 2003, he had served in the Moscoso Administration as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal and as the Minister for Canal Affairs.[5]

Guillermo Endara, former Panamanian president from 1989 to 1994, ran as the candidate for the Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party.[7]

Though initially the favorite,[5] Herrera was damaged in the election by her links to former military ruler Manuel Noriega[4] and by the perception that she was a "Chavista", a supporter of leftist Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.[7] Martinelli was also helped by strong support from the business community and his campaign promise of "real change" resonated among poor voters.[5]

On May 3, 2009, Martinelli won the national elections by a landslide, with over 60% of the votes compared to Herrera, who received about 36%. Former president Guillermo Endara finished a distant third.[7] Martinelli was declared the winner after 43.68% of the votes had been counted. This was the second-largest majority in Panamanian history, and the largest since 1989.[8] Martinelli's victory was an exception to a trend of victories for left-leaning Latin American candidates.[4] He was sworn in on July 1, 2009.[9]

Results

President

CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Ricardo MartinelliAlliance for ChangeDemocratic Change509,98632.15
Panameñista Party293,55418.50
Patriotic Union53,9523.40
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement94,8415.98
Total952,33360.03
Balbina HerreraOne Country for AllDemocratic Revolutionary Party553,97434.92
People's Party35,4592.24
Liberal Party7,7940.49
Total597,22737.65
Guillermo EndaraMoral Vanguard of the Fatherland36,8672.32
Total1,586,427100.00
Valid votes1,586,42796.94
Invalid/blank votes50,0813.06
Total votes1,636,508100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,211,26174.01
Source: Tribunal Electoral

Legislative Assembly

Party or allianceVotes%Seats
Alliance for ChangeDemocratic Change352,31923.4214
Panameñista Party334,28222.2222
Patriotic Union85,6095.694
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement70,4574.682
Total842,66756.0242
One Country for AllDemocratic Revolutionary Party537,42635.7226
People's Party55,5983.701
Liberal Party18,1111.200
Total611,13540.6227
Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland14,7600.980
Independents35,7932.382
Total1,504,355100.0071
Valid votes1,504,35593.79
Invalid/blank votes99,5826.21
Total votes1,603,937100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,211,26172.53
Source: Tribunal Electoral

References

  1. ↑ CIA – The World Factbook – Panama
  2. ↑ Michelle Ray Ortiz (1 May 1999). "Panama Could Have 1st Woman Leader". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Kathia Martinez (8 September 2008). "Panama's ruling party picks woman for president". USA Today. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "Super 09; Panama's presidential election". The Economist. 9 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Anthony G. Craine. "Ricardo Martinelli". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "Ricardo Martinelli, el magnate de supermercados que ofrece un cambio al país" (in Spanish). EFE. April 28, 2009. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2010. (English Translation)
  7. 1 2 3 Sara Miller Llana (3 May 2009). "Conservative supermarket tycoon wins Panama vote". Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  8. ↑ Lina Vega Abad (4 May 2009). "Cifras, techos y realidades". La Prensa (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  9. ↑ "Supermarket tycoon sworn in as Panama president". CNN. 2 July 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
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