Juan Carlos Varela wins presidential election in Panama

Juan Carlos Varela from the opposition Panamenista Party won Panama's presidential election, Supreme Electoral Court President Erasmo Pinilla said on Sunday.

With 60% of the ballots counted, incumbent Vice President Varela garnered 39.2% of vote, followed by Jose Domingo Arias from the ruling Democratic Change Party with 32%, and Juan Carlos Navarro from the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party with 27%, Xinhua reported. The electoral court chief had notified Varela of his victory by phone which was broadcast live.

Some 2.4 million Panamanians went to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president and a vice-president, 71 members of parliament, 77 mayors, 648 district representatives, seven councilors and 20 members of the Central American Parliament.