President-Elect of Panama José Raúl Mulino has reaffirmed his commitment to deport migrants heading to the United States who pass through the hazardous Darien Gap jungle trail. Mulino made this announcement during his speech following his official proclamation as the president of Panama for the 2024-2029 term.
“I will make an effort to put an end to the odyssey of the Darien, which should not exist, and I want to emphasize that Panama and our Darien are not a transit route,” Mulino declared. He outlined his plan to close the Darien Gap and initiate a repatriation process with international assistance while respecting the human rights of all individuals in the area.
Mulino warned potential migrants that anyone crossing into Panama would be sent back to their home country. The president-elect, a conservative lawyer and former security minister, won the 2024 general elections representing the “Save Panama” coalition and secured 34.23% of the votes.
Following his inauguration on July 1, Mulino will succeed current President Laurentino Cortizo. During his campaign, Mulino promised to close the Darien Gap, a path frequently used by migrants to reach the United States from South American countries. In 2023, a record-breaking 520,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap, with the majority being Venezuelan nationals.
The Panamanian government confirmed that 125,311 migrants had crossed through the Darien Gap from January to April 2024. Mulino has not disclosed the specific details of his plan to close the Darien Gap, but his statements have raised concerns in neighboring Colombia, where officials fear an increase in migrant flows towards their shared border territory.
