José Raúl Mulino Elected Panama's President, Vows to Shut Down Darien Migration Route

vote, formerJosé Raúl Mulino, a 64-year-old former security minister, has been elected as the new president of Panama with 34.3% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Mulino faces significant challenges in addressing the country's economic slowdown, historic levels of migration, and a drought affecting the Panama Canal.

Why this matters: The closure of the Darien migration route could have far-reaching implications for global migration patterns, potentially diverting migrants to even riskier routes. The success or failure of Mulino's plan will be closely watched by governments and international organizations, as it may set a precedent for addressing migration challenges worldwide.

One of Mulino's key campaign promises was to shut down the Darien Gap migration route, which was used by over 500,000 people last year. The route passes through the dense Darien jungle on the border between Panama and Colombia and has grown exponentially in popularity in recent years. Organized crime in Colombia has made it an affordable, albeit dangerous, land route for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to reach the United States.

"Panama and our Darien are not a transit route. It is our border," Mulino declared. He plans to implement an immediate deportation plan, believing it will decrease the interest in sneaking through Panama. article "Because when we start to deport people here in an immediate deportation plan, the interest for sneaking through Panama will decrease," he explained in a local radio interview.

However, experts question the feasibility of Mulino's plan, citing the need for cooperation and coordination with Colombia and other countries, as well as the operational challenges of controlling the open and uncontrolled border. Giuseppe Loprete, chief of mission in Panama for the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration, cautioned,"People migrate for many reasons and frequently don't have safe, orderly and legal ways to do it."

The Darien migration route is notoriously risky, with reports of sexual assaults, killings, and drownings. Despite the dangers, 147,000 migrants have already entered Panama through the Darien Gap this year. next Previous attempts to close migration routes around the world have often simply shifted traffic to even riskier paths.

Mulino's election victory comes at a pivotal time for Panama. The country faces a slowed economy, historic levels of migration, and a drought affecting the vital Panama Canal. As Mulino prepares to take office on July 1, the international community will be closely watching to see how he addresses these pressing challenges and whether his controversial plan to shut down the Darien migration route can be effectively implemented.