MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Martinelli’s victory in Panama has turned into a conservative landslide

Sunday’s conservative victory in Panama is turning into a landslide: the winning party Democratic Change, CD, headed by president elect Ricardo Martinelli will also hold a majority in Congress.

With 87% of votes counted, Martinelli’s CD will have at least 37 seats out of the 71 in the Panamanian assembly.

“I’m going to rule with all Panamanians”, promised Martinelli on Tuesday on advancing some names of his future cabinet.

Meanwhile the man who is seen as the great looser of Sunday’s election, President Omar Torrijos invited Martinelli for a meeting to agree on the transition timetable which should conclude July first when the new government takes office.

Mr. Torrijos is chairman of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, PRD, which was born out of his father’s military dictatorship in 1968 but with time moved to the democratic left becoming an active member of the International Socialist.

The official proclamation of Mr. Martinelli as president elect is scheduled to take place on Wednesday when the final vote count.

Mr. Martinelli is the founder of his own party, Democratic Change which he describes as not belonging to the left or the right, but which was openly supported by the Panamanian political establishment.