The elected president of Panama José Raúl Mulino raised on Thursday the possibility of repatriating migrants once he assumes the reins of the government on July 1.
In his speech before the National Scrutiny Board that proclaimed him the winner of last Sunday’s elections with 34.23% of the votes, the 64-year-old lawyer explained that work will be undertaken to put an end to “the Darién odyssey that No reason to be”.
“Panama and our Darién is not a transit route, it is our border,” explained Mulino, who took the place on the ballot of former president Ricardo Martinelli after he was disabled after being found guilty of money laundering.
Mulino explained that the border closure he proposed has a philosophical concept that implies a repatriation process in accordance with human rights and with assistance from the international community to discourage migration through Panama.
According to the National Immigration Service of Panama, the controlled flow operation registers a total of 146,945 irregular migrants in transit so far this year. In the first nine days of May, 7,678 people have entered the country.
Reiterating his campaign promises, Mulino spoke of generating jobs, boosting the economy and making adjustments in public spending. However, one of the most urgent issues in the Central American nation is obtaining new sources of water for the Panama Canal, which has had to reduce the number of daily crossings due to the intense drought in 2023.
“(I am going) to solve, together with the Panama Canal, the problems inherent to the interoceanic waterway by providing that lake with the necessary amount of water so that the transit of ships is not stopped and the navigation of the Canal is not affected,” he stated.
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