Panama’s New President Signals an Ambitious Agenda

This article is a summary of reporting by Americas Quarterly. Originally published July 2, 2024.
Taking office on July 1, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino immediately set out an ambitious foreign and domestic policy agenda. Hours following his swearing-in alongside National Assembly leaders, Mulino signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States to assist in halting irregular migration across the Darién Gap border with Colombia, an effort attended by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In addition to migration enforcement, Mulino's administration must confront water supply limitations affecting the Panama Canal and resolve the fate of the shuttered Cobre Panamá mine while balancing complex diplomatic relations across the hemisphere.
AI Summary
Following his July 1 inauguration, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino prioritized curbing Darién Gap migration and resolving water shortages for the Panama Canal.
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