Panama’s Electoral Committee declared opposition candidate Juan Carlos Varela as the winner of Sunday's election and the country's next president: he captured 39% of the vote with more than 80% of ballots counted. In Panama there is no run-off and no re-election so president Ricardo Martinelli nominated his successor and completed the ticket with his wife, Marta Linares de Martinelli.
The OAS Electoral Observation Mission has arrived in Panama, led by former Peruvian Congresswoman and presidential candidate Lourdes Flores Nano, for the final deployment of the 56 international experts and observers ahead of Sunday's general elections.