Presidential Ballots from the TE

The Electoral Tribunal (TE), the folks who also make sure that your E-Cedula and in some cases, your N-Cedula is functional for you, began printing the presidential ballots for the May 5th elections.  However, if an event occurs in the coming days that impact the presidential race, the TE will take the necessary measures to present the “correct” ballot to the electorate.  You may be interested in the case of Mulino.  The candidate of the Realizing Goals (RM) and Alianza parties, José Raúl Mulino, appears on the ballot, however a lawsuit was presented against his candidacy before the Supreme Court of Justice for alleged unconstitutionality, a case that will be solved by Judge Olmedo Arrocha starting Monday, Eclipse Day. Arrocha has 10 days to prepare a draft ruling, which must be shared in simultaneous reading with the rest of the eight members of the full Court for a period of 20 days. If Arrocha’s project does not have a resolution from the rest of the judges of the Court, a plenary session must be convened to discuss it and issue a ruling.  Mulino entered the presidential race after the TE disqualified Ricardo Martinelli from competing in the May elections, following his sentence to more than 10 years in prison for money laundering in the New Business Case.  The TE authorizes Mulino to assume the presidential candidacy to replace Martinelli. The lawsuit filed by Karisma Etienne Karamañites warns that although Mulino was appointed as vice president, that candidacy was not put to a vote in the RM primary elections. Mulino was chosen directly by Martinelli and was ratified by the directors of RM and the Alianza party.  Martinelli remains in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama as of last February 7th and was granted asylum from President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, after Ricardo’s sentence of 168 months in prison became final.                 Former Panama President Ricardo Martinelli and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega