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Supermarket tycoon wins Panama election
Sun May 3, 2009 10:10pm EDT
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By Mica Rosenberg and Sean Mattson
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Supermarket tycoon Ricardo Martinelli swept to victory in Panama's presidential election on Sunday, bucking a trend of left-wing leadership wins in Latin America.
The conservative opposition candidate's business experience swayed voters worried about their livelihoods in a global recession that has stunted Panama's recent stellar economic growth.
The electoral tribunal declared Martinelli the winner as results showed him taking an unassailable lead of 61 percent of the votes, against 37 percent for Balbina Herrera of the ruling center-left Revolutionary Democratic Party.
The government has struggled to rein in crime and high prices and Martinelli managed to win over many low-income voters.
"We can't continue to have a country where 40 percent of Panamanians are poor," he said in a victory speech.
While the government launched an ambitious $5.25 billion expansion of the canal and is liked by foreign investors, Martinelli is seen as more friendly toward business.
Panama, which uses the dollar as its currency, last year suffered its highest inflation levels since the early 1980s.
Inflation has since tamed as economic growth slows down but voters anger at higher prices has lingered.
"Every 15 days I go to the market and food prices are higher. You can't buy meat anymore," said Oreida Sanchez, 36, a teacher, after voting for Martinelli in the capital's run-down neighborhood of Calidonia.
Anti-American leftists like Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have advanced in Latin America in recent years but Panama has long had close ties to the United States, which built the Panama Canal and ousted dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega in 1989.
Herrera was once close to Noriega, which rankled with some voters. She conceded defeat and promised to be a strong opposition.
Convicted of drug trafficking and money laundering by a U.S. court, Noriega is now in a Florida jail.
ECONOMY DAMPENED
Panama's economy has led Latin America with growth of around 10 percent in recent years, fueled by U.S.-Asia trade through its transoceanic canal and robust banking activity.
But 2009 growth could slow to 3 percent or less as the global crisis hits credit and shipping. Continued...
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FACTBOX: Some facts about Panama
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