Presidential candidate Ricardo
Martinelli greets supporters after winning elections in Panama City May 3,
2009. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
PANAMA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Ricardo Martinelli, a
supermarket magnate and candidate of the opposition Democratic Change Party
(DC), won Panama's presidential elections on Sunday, showed preliminary vote
counting results from the National Electoral Council (NEC).
Among the more than 60 percent of the vote counted,
Martinelli garnered 60.74 percent and former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera of
Panama's governing coalition gained 36.77 percent, said Erasmo Pinilla,
president of the NEC.
Shortly after casting his vote, Martinelli told
Xinhua that he would "initiate a process of transparency that does not exist in
Panama" and put into jail those who are found guilty of corruption.
The country should also seek other possibilities and
focus primarily on the business relationship with the United States, he added.
This is the second time the business tycoon has run
in a presidential race. In the 2004 election, Martinelli finished last out of
four candidates with only 5.3 percent of the vote.
Martinelli, born on March 11, 1952 in Panama City, is
the owner of the Super 99 supermarket chain, which is the largest in the
country.
He served as director of the Chamber of Commerce of
Panama from 1985 to 1987 and director of social security from 1994 to 1996.
From 1999 to 2003, he worked as chairman of the Board
of Directors of the Panama Canal Authority and minister of canal affairs.
During his presidential campaign
in 2009, Martinelli said he would review Panama's ties with China once he were
elected. The Central American country currently does not have diplomatic
relations with China.
Panama's presidential candidate Ricardo
Martinelli(C) gives his victory speech after winning the election in
Panama City, Sunday, May 3, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
PANAMA CITY, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Panama's general elections
voting ended on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. (2100 GMT).
More than 2.2 million Panamanians out of the
country's 3.3 million population have registered to vote for Sunday's elections,
which will select the country's president, vice president, 71 National Assembly
members, 20 members at the Central American Parliament, 75 mayors and 623 local
council members, according to the National Electoral Council.
Preliminary results for the presidential race are
expected on late Sunday. Full story
Panama's presidential candidate Ricardo
Martinelli(C) gives his victory speech after winning the election in
Panama City, Sunday, May 3, 2009.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
