Panama's New President Will Maintain Pro-Business Policies

• Panamanian President-elect Laurentino Cortizo will govern with a relatively weak mandate after narrowly defeating Rómulo Roux in an unexpectedly close May 5th election.
• Fitch expects Panama's policy direction to remain relatively unchanged under Cortizo, with his administration continuing orthodox, pro-business economic policies.
• Cortizo’s coalition’s narrow majority in the unicameral National Assembly will likely allow him to advance legislation, though a crop of new, anti-establishment legislators could complicate policymaking. 

(Source: Fitch)