Last-minute candidate Jose Raul Mulino wins Panama’s presidential election

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino (Matias Delacroix/AP)

Jose Raul Mulino, the stand-in for former president Ricardo Martinelli in Panama’s presidential election, was set to become the new leader of the nation as authorities unofficially called the race on Sunday night with 88% of the vote counted.

The 64-year-old former security minister led the race with nearly 35% of the votes, giving him a nine-point lead over the other candidates, who conceded a few hours after the polls closed.