Bishops in Panama call on voters to pick 'best candidates' as nation loses faith in democracy

By Manuel Rueda, OSV News

PANAMA CITY (OSV News) -- Panama's bishops' conference urged people in the Central American country to vote "with responsibility" while seeking "the common good" on May 5, as the nation elects president, members of congress and municipal officials in a decisive vote for the future of a corruption-wrecked country.

The bishops' conference organized a special day of prayer and fasting for the elections on May 2, and told undecided voters that they should learn as much as they can about the candidates, and vote for those with the most virtues.

"Responsible voting is fundamental for social reconstruction, peace and morality in Panama," the bishops said in an April 28 statement.

Panama has been wrecked by political corruption on a massive scale in recent years. Additionally, the COVID pandemic and drought that paralyzed the functioning of the crucial Panama Canal made the economic situation worse, leading the people to lose faith in democracy.

"This is an important moment for Panama and we need everyone to participate," the Archbishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa, said in a sermon that was live streamed on Facebook Thursday and was aired on Catholic radio and TV stations.

"The church is never going to tell its faithful who to vote for, but we do want to help raise awareness and education, so that people can pick the best" candidates.

The archbishop suggested that Panamanians should consider several traits when selecting a candidate, including whether that person has defended the values of life, has knowledge of social and economic issues and has shown the capacity to listen to people who think differently and build accords.

He also said that voters should select candidates that are honest, and whose actions have matched their words.

"Our country needs the most virtuous men and women," the archbishop said. "Because the greatness of a country is first measured by its moral and spiritual force."

The election comes as disenchantment and frustration grow with Panama's democratic system, which has been in place since the early 1990s.

Massive protests swept through the country in 2023 after the government approved a large copper mining concession, known as Cobre Panama. The government had agreed to receive royalties that would represent between less than 15% of the mine's annual revenues.

Many protesters were angered by the terms of the contract and were also frustrated by the way in which it was quickly approved by Panama's congress despite opposition from indigenous communities and environmental groups.

The contract was eventually canceled by Panama's Supreme Court. But it has boosted distrust of the nation's institutions, said Harry Brown, a researcher at CIEPS, a Panamanian think tank that focuses on social and political issues.

In a poll conducted by the think tank in 2023, 37% of Panamanians said democracy is "the best form of government" while 45% said that for them, having a democracy made "no difference."

"There has been a capture of the state through which politicians and the economic elites are mutually benefiting each other," Brown told OSV News.

"People have expressed in polls that they want change," he added. "But there is no clarity as to what kind of change."

The 2024 presidential election features eight candidates and polls are currently led by Jose Raul Mulino, a conservative lawyer and former defense minister who was part of the Ricardo Martinelli administration between 2009 and 2014, and is now also a member of the former president's political party.

Martinelli is popular among some Panamanians who recall how he built large infrastructure projects, like Panama City's metro, and also oversaw a period of sustained economic growth.

The former president tried to run for office again this year, but was disqualified after the Supreme Court upheld a money laundering conviction against him, which is related to his purchase of a local newspaper group.

Martinelli has described the charge as political persecution, and recently sought refuge at Nicaragua's embassy in Panama City.

But that hasn't deterred some voters from supporting him, or Mulino, his handpicked successor, who had 29% support in the latest Gallup poll.

"Panama made a lot of progress under Martinelli; there were more jobs when he was president," said Leisa Hall, a Martinelli supporter. "In our opinion Mulino can be the continuation of Martinelli," she said.

Others have said they want to vote for new parties that have never been in power, including the Other Path Movement, led by Ricardo Lombana, a lawyer and former newspaper executive.

Lombana has promised to cut government spending, and decrease the number of members of congress in the country while tackling corruption, which ranks consistently in polls as the problem that Panamanians are most worried about.

He is against the return of the Cobre Panama mine.

"Mulino represents the corrupt past of Panama" said Alfredo Pitti, a civil engineer and youth leader who supports Lombana.

In their April 28 call for citizen participation, the bishops emphasized the importance of exercising the right to vote in a peaceful and conscious manner.

"We cannot let a few define the destiny of the many," the bishops said, urging the people to avoid polarization and work for unity and fraternity among Panamanians.

The prelates urged Catholics to assume "their sacred duty to vote," remembering that being good Christians overlaps with being good citizens.