# 2019 Panamanian general election

General elections were held in Panama on 5 May 2019. Due to constitutional term limits, incumbent President Juan Carlos Varela was ineligible for a second consecutive term. Businessman and politician Laurentino Cortizo of the centre-left Democratic Revolutionary Party won the election with around 33% of the vote, narrowly defeating Rómulo Roux of the centre-right Democratic Change, who won 31% of the vote. The PRD also won a majority in the National Assembly. The ruling Panameñista Party of President Juan Carlos Varela suffered its worst result in history. Its candidate, Panama City mayor José Isabel Blandón, received only 11% of the vote and came in fourth behind independent candidate Ricardo Lombana. The party also lost half its seats in the National Assembly.

## Background

Incumbent President Juan Carlos Varela was elected in 2014 with 39% of the vote. Polls showed him to be the second most unpopular president in Latin America by 2018, with a 57% disapproval rating.
Corruption became a major issue during the campaign, being the first election held after the Panama Papers leak, which exposed the extent of the country's involvement in tax evasion. Investigations into mass bribery by the Brazilian company Odebrecht also took place during the preceding presidential term, with the presidential administrations of Martín Torrijos, Ricardo Martinelli, and Juan Carlos Varela all being subject to scrutiny. Martinelli was also investigated for wiretapping political opponents, which resulted in his being disqualified in his campaigns for Assembly deputy and Panama City mayor.

## Electoral system

The President was elected through plurality vote in one round.
Of the 71 members of the National Assembly, 26 were elected in single-member constituencies and 45 by proportional representation in multi-member constituencies. Each district with more than 40,000 inhabitants formed a constituency. Constituencies elected one MP for every 30,000 residents and an additional representative for every fraction over 10,000.
In single-member constituencies, MPs were elected using the first-past-the-post system. In multi-member constituencies MPs were elected using party list proportional representation according to a double quotient; the first allocation of seats used a simple quotient, further seats were allotted using the quotient divided by two, with any remaining seats are awarded to the parties with the greatest remainder.

## Presidential candidates

The following seven candidates contested the election:
* Laurentino "Nito" Cortizo – Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)
* José Isabel Blandón - Panameñista Party
* Rómulo Roux - Cambio Democrático (CD)
* Saúl Méndez - Broad Front for Democracy (FAD)
* Ana Matilde Gómez - Independent
* Marco Ameglio - Independent
* Ricardo Lombana - Independent

### Candidate selection
#### Democratic Revolutionary Party

Nito Cortizo won the PRD's presidential primary, held on 16 September 2023. He defeated Assembly member Zulay Rodríguez and former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares. The Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement allied itself with the PRD. He selected José Gabriel Carrizo as his running mate.

#### Panameñista Party

Panama City mayor José Blandón won the Panameñista primary, beating former Housing Minister Mario Etchelecu. The People's Party allied itself with the Panameñista Party, maintaining the alliance that had also been seen in the 2014 elections. He selected Nilda Quijano as his running mate.

#### Democratic Change

Rómulo Roux, a former Canal Minister and Foreign Minister, won the CD presidential primary, defeating José Raúl Mulino, winning 68% to Mulino's 29%. He chose reporter Luis Casis as his running mate.

#### Alliance Party

The Alliance Party was a new political party led by Assembly member José Muñoz. José Domingo Arias, the losing CD presidential candidate in 2014, won its primary with over 90% of the vote. The party later chose to ally itself with the CD candidacy of Rómulo Roux, with Arias declining his presidential candidacy.

## Opinion polls

| Pollster | Date | Cortizo (PRD) | Roux (CD) | Lombana (IND) |
| Gallup Panama | 17–21 March 2019 | 38% | 21% | 4% |
| GAD3 | 29–30 April 2019 | 36% | 26% | 20% |
| Doxa Panamá | 23–28 April 2019 | 30% | 32% | 15% |
| Stratmark | 22–28 April 2019 | 44% | 27% | 10% |

## Results
### President

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Laurentino Cortizo | Joining Forces | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 609,638 | 31.03 |
| | Laurentino Cortizo | Joining Forces | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 45,664 | 2.32 |
| | Laurentino Cortizo | Joining Forces | Total | Total | 655,302 | 33.35 |
| | Rómulo Roux | Change to Wake Up | | Democratic Change | 564,297 | 28.72 |
| | Rómulo Roux | Change to Wake Up | | Alliance Party | 44,706 | 2.28 |
| | Rómulo Roux | Change to Wake Up | Total | Total | 609,003 | 31.00 |
| | Ricardo Lombana | Independent | Independent | Independent | 368,962 | 18.78 |
| | José Blandón | Panama We Can | | Panameñista Party | 174,113 | 8.86 |
| | José Blandón | Panama We Can | | People's Party | 38,818 | 1.98 |
| | José Blandón | Panama We Can | Total | Total | 212,931 | 10.84 |
| | Ana Matilde Gómez | Independent | Independent | Independent | 93,631 | 4.77 |
| | Saúl Méndez | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 13,540 | 0.69 |
| | Marco Ameglio | Independent | Independent | Independent | 11,408 | 0.58 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 1,964,777 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,964,777 | 97.58 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 48,656 | 2.42 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,013,433 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 2,757,823 | 73.01 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||

### National Assembly

| | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 542,105 | 29.99 | 35 | +9 |
| | Democratic Change | 405,798 | 22.45 | 18 | –6 |
| | Panameñista Party | 312,635 | 17.30 | 8 | –8 |
| | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 92,340 | 5.11 | 5 | +3 |
| | People's Party | 65,028 | 3.60 | 0 | –1 |
| | Alliance Party | 43,670 | 2.42 | 0 | –1 |
| | Broad Front for Democracy | 22,711 | 1.26 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | 323,153 | 17.88 | 5 | +4 |
| Total | Total | 1,807,440 | 100.00 | 71 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,807,440 | 92.68 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 142,663 | 7.32 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 1,950,103 | 100.00 | | |
| Source: Tribunal Electoral ||||||

#### Elected members

| Constituency | Member | Party |
| Circuit 1-1 | Benicio Robinson | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 1-1 | Abel Beker | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 2-1 | Néstor Guardia | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 2-1 | Daniel Ramos | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 2-2 | Melchor Herrera | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 2-3 | Luis Ernesto Carles | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 2-4 | Jorge Herrera | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 3-1 | Jairo Salazar | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 3-1 | Mariano López | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 3-1 | Leopoldo Benedetti | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 3-1 | Pedro Torres | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 3-2 | Nelson Jackson | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 4-1 | Fernando Arce | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 4-1 | Miguel Fanovich | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement |
| Circuit 4-1 | Hugo Méndez | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 4-2 | Everardo Concepción | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 4-3 | Juan Esquivel | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 4-3 | Rony Araúz | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 4-4 | Gonzalo González | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 4-5 | Manolo Ruiz | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement |
| Circuit 4-6 | Ana Giselle Rosas | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 5-1 | Arnulfo Díaz | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 5-2 | Jaime Vargas | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 6-1 | Alejandro Castillero | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 6-2 | Julio Mendoza | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 6-3 | Marcos Castillero | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 7-1 | Eric Broce | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 7-2 | Olivares Frías | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-1 | Kayra Harding | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-1 | Marylín Vallarino | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-1 | Yesenia Rodríguez | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 8-2 | Yanibel Ábrego | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-3 | José Herrera | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-4 | Roberto Ábrego | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-4 | Roberto Ayala | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-4 | Lilia Batista | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-5 | Hernán Delgado | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-6 | Raúl Pineda | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-6 | Leandro Ávila | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-6 | Zulay Rodríguez | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-6 | Pancho Alemán | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement |
| Circuit 8-6 | Dalia Bernal | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-6 | Itzi Atencio | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 8-6 | Juan Diego Vásquez | Independent |
| Circuit 8-7 | Crispiano Adames | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-7 | Héctor Brands | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-7 | Corina Cano | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement |
| Circuit 8-7 | Sergio "Chello" Gálvez | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-7 | Gabriel Silva | Independent |
| Circuit 8-8 | Javier Sucre | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-8 | Victor Castillo | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-8 | Mayín Correa | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-8 | Edison Broce | Independent |
| Circuit 8-8 | Raúl Fernández | Independent |
| Circuit 8-9 | Alina González | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-9 | Tito Rodríguez | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement |
| Circuit 8-9 | Genésis Arjona | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-10 | Edwin Zúñiga | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-10 | Alaín Cedeño | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 8-10 | Cenobia Vargas | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 8-10 | Elías Vigil | Panameñista Party |
| Circuit 9-1 | Luis Rafael Cruz | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 9-1 | Fátima Agrazal | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 9-2 | Ariel Alba | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 9-3 | Eugenio Bernal | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 9-4 | Ricardo Torres | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 10-1 | Petita Ayarza | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 10-2 | Arquesio Arias | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Circuit 12-1 | Leopoldo Archibold | Democratic Change |
| Circuit 12-2 | Adan Bejerano | Independent |
| Circuit 12-3 | Ricardo Santo | Democratic Revolutionary Party |
| Source: Tribunal Electoral ||||

### Mayoral elections
#### Panama City

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | José Luis Fábrega | Joining Forces | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 156,095 | 37.87 |
| | José Luis Fábrega | Joining Forces | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 19,260 | 4.67 |
| | José Luis Fábrega | Joining Forces | Total | Total | 175,355 | 42.55 |
| | Sergio Gálvez | Change to Wake Up | | Democratic Change | 117,476 | 28.50 |
| | Sergio Gálvez | Change to Wake Up | | Alliance Party | 11,343 | 2.75 |
| | Sergio Gálvez | Change to Wake Up | Total | Total | 128,819 | 31.25 |
| | Raúl Ricardo Rodriguez | Independent | Independent | Independent | 56,638 | 13.74 |
| | Adolfo Valderrama | Panama We Can | | Panameñista Party | 32,962 | 8.00 |
| | Adolfo Valderrama | Panama We Can | | People's Party | 10,302 | 2.50 |
| | Adolfo Valderrama | Panama We Can | Total | Total | 43,264 | 10.50 |
| | Diogenes Sanchez | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 8,081 | 1.96 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 412,157 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 412,157 | 94.37 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 24,595 | 5.63 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 436,752 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||

#### San Miguelito

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Hector Carrasquilla | Change to Wake Up | | Democratic Change | 51,664 | 33.56 |
| | Hector Carrasquilla | Change to Wake Up | | Alliance Party | 5,872 | 3.81 |
| | Hector Carrasquilla | Change to Wake Up | Total | Total | 57,536 | 37.38 |
| | Cesar Sanjur | Joining Forces | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 36,693 | 23.84 |
| | Cesar Sanjur | Joining Forces | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 5,456 | 3.54 |
| | Cesar Sanjur | Joining Forces | Total | Total | 42,149 | 27.38 |
| | Gerald Cumberbatch | Panama We Can | | Independent | 12,875 | 8.36 |
| | Gerald Cumberbatch | Panama We Can | | Panameñista Party | 9,275 | 6.03 |
| | Gerald Cumberbatch | Panama We Can | Total | Total | 22,150 | 14.39 |
| | Jacqueline Hurtado | People's Party | People's Party | People's Party | 17,810 | 11.57 |
| | Irving Dominguez | Independent | Independent | Independent | 11,123 | 7.23 |
| | Gilberto Marulanda | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 3,163 | 2.05 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 153,931 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 153,931 | 93.58 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 10,558 | 6.42 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 164,489 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||

#### Arraiján

| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| | Rollyns Rodriguez | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 31,977 | 28.00 |
| | Belkis Saavedra | Democratic Change | 26,934 | 23.59 |
| | Militza Palma | People's Party | 21,969 | 19.24 |
| | Percival Piggott | Panameñista Party | 13,956 | 12.22 |
| | Maruquel Luque | Independent | 7,277 | 6.37 |
| | Victor Godoy | Independent | 4,859 | 4.26 |
| | Ivan Berrio | Independent | 3,412 | 2.99 |
| | Luis Pimentel | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 1,794 | 1.57 |
| | Denis Amaya | Broad Front for Democracy | 1,526 | 1.34 |
| | Norma Estrada | Alliance Party | 489 | 0.43 |
| Total | Total | Total | 114,193 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 114,193 | 94.52 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 6,620 | 5.48 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 120,813 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||

#### Colón

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Alex Lee | Democratic Revolutionary Party | Democratic Revolutionary Party | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 21,826 | 22.43 |
| | Diogenes Galvan | Independent | Independent | Independent | 20,027 | 20.58 |
| | Federico Policani | Panama We Can | | Panameñista Party | 14,519 | 14.92 |
| | Federico Policani | Panama We Can | | People's Party | 4,388 | 4.51 |
| | Federico Policani | Panama We Can | Total | Total | 18,907 | 19.43 |
| | Carlos Outten | Democratic Change | Democratic Change | Democratic Change | 15,794 | 16.23 |
| | Enrique Brooks Galvan | Independent | Independent | Independent | 6,645 | 6.83 |
| | Felipe Cabeza | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 5,759 | 5.92 |
| | Cristobal Gondola | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 5,460 | 5.61 |
| | Josefina Smith | Alliance Party | Alliance Party | Alliance Party | 2,893 | 2.97 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 97,311 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 97,311 | 93.25 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 7,048 | 6.75 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 104,359 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||

#### La Chorrera

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Tomás Velasquez | Joining Forces | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 31,259 | 33.68 |
| | Tomás Velasquez | Joining Forces | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 3,868 | 4.17 |
| | Tomás Velasquez | Joining Forces | Total | Total | 35,127 | 37.85 |
| | Chuin Fa Chong | Alliance Party | Alliance Party | Alliance Party | 24,696 | 26.61 |
| | Mario Muñoz | Democratic Change | Democratic Change | Democratic Change | 12,962 | 13.97 |
| | Alberto Barranco | Panama We Can | | Panameñista Party | 6,746 | 7.27 |
| | Alberto Barranco | Panama We Can | | People's Party | 2,699 | 2.91 |
| | Alberto Barranco | Panama We Can | Total | Total | 9,445 | 10.18 |
| | Dario Gomez | Independent | Independent | Independent | 9,014 | 9.71 |
| | Armando Barrios | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 1,573 | 1.69 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 92,817 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 92,817 | 92.79 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 7,211 | 7.21 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 100,028 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||

#### David

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Antonio Arauz | Democratic Revolutionary Party | Democratic Revolutionary Party | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 28,132 | 36.55 |
| | Joaquín De León | Panameñista Party | Panameñista Party | Panameñista Party | 19,428 | 25.24 |
| | Karen Caballero | Independent | | Democratic Change | 8,211 | 10.67 |
| | Karen Caballero | Independent | | Independent | 4,060 | 5.27 |
| | Karen Caballero | Independent | Total | Total | 12,271 | 15.94 |
| | Nicolás Rivera | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 6,545 | 8.50 |
| | Agustín Saldaña | Independent | | Independent | 3,016 | 3.92 |
| | Agustín Saldaña | Independent | | People's Party | 2,505 | 3.25 |
| | Agustín Saldaña | Independent | Total | Total | 5,521 | 7.17 |
| | Amael Acosta | Independent | Independent | Independent | 3,460 | 4.50 |
| | Néstor Camargo | Alliance Party | Alliance Party | Alliance Party | 945 | 1.23 |
| | Tomas Armuelles | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 666 | 0.87 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 76,968 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 76,968 | 93.09 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 5,715 | 6.91 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 82,683 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||

#### Santiago

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Samid Sandoval | Change to Wake Up | | Democratic Change | 19,102 | 35.26 |
| | Samid Sandoval | Change to Wake Up | | Alliance Party | 1,093 | 2.02 |
| | Samid Sandoval | Change to Wake Up | Total | Total | 20,195 | 37.28 |
| | Edward Ibarra | Democratic Revolutionary Party | Democratic Revolutionary Party | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 18,809 | 34.72 |
| | Victor Rodriguez | Panameñista Party | Panameñista Party | Panameñista Party | 7,245 | 13.37 |
| | Isaac Rodriguez | Independent | Independent | Independent | 4,233 | 7.81 |
| | Horacio Freeman | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 1,777 | 3.28 |
| | Edilso Vega | Independent | Independent | Independent | 1,220 | 2.25 |
| | Santiago Murillo | Independent | Independent | Independent | 460 | 0.85 |
| | Edgardo Abrego | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | Broad Front for Democracy | 237 | 0.44 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 54,176 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 54,176 | 93.81 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 3,575 | 6.19 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 57,751 | 100.00 |
| Source: Election Tribunal |||||||