Panama's Mulino wins presidency with support from convicted former leader

People walk at a street in El Chorrillo neighborhood a day before general election, in Panama City, Panama May 4, 2024. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) -Panama's former security minister Jose Raul Mulino on Sunday stormed to victory in a presidential poll dominated by his old boss, the popular ex-leader Ricardo Martinelli, who buttressed his campaign despite being holed up in Nicaragua's embassy.

Mulino, 64, was one of the favorites for the presidency after he stepped in to replace Martinelli on the ballot when the former president was barred from running due to a money laundering conviction.