PANAMA CITY, May 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Panamanians are expected to elect a new president for the Central American country on Sunday.

    Martin Torrijos (the Democratic Revolutionary Party), Guillermo Endara (the Solidarity Party), Jose Miguel Aleman (the Arnulfista Party), and Ricardo Martinelli (the Democratic Change), will compete for the presidency.

    According to a latest opinion poll ahead of the voting, 40-year-old Torrijos, is widely favored to win the election. He is the sonof Omar Torrijos, who was Panama's de facto ruler from late 1960s to early 1980s and persuaded the United States to cede the Panama Canal to the tiny nation in 1977.

    Torrijos' main rival is Endara, 67, an ex-president of Panama from 1989 to 1994. Endara managed to rebuild the country's battered economy following the US invasion in 1989 and ensuing riots.

    Panama has a population of 2.8 million. Under the constitution,the elected president serves a one five-year term.

    The new president will replace the incumbent President Mireya Moscoso (the Arnulfista Party), who was sworn in on September 1, 1999. Enditem