José Raúl Mulino is sworn in as Panama's new president
José Raúl Mulino has been sworn in as Panama’s next president, facing pressure to slow migration through the Darien Gap that connects his country with Colombia
José Raúl Mulino is sworn in as Panama's new president
Show all 4Your support helps us to tell the story
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
José Raúl Mulino was sworn in Monday as Panama’s next president, facing pressure to slow irregular migration through the Darien Gap that connects his country with Colombia.
The 65-year-old former security minister has promised to shut down migration through the jungle-clad and largely lawless border.
More than half a million people traversed the corridor last year and more than 190,000 people have crossed so far in 2024, with most of the migrants hailing from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and China.
Last week on a visit to the Darien, Mulino announced he would seek an agreement with the United States government to aid in deporting migrants who crossed into Panama. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was among those attending his inauguration Monday.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.