Mulino Talks Migration and the Darién Gap

The president-elect, José Raúl Mulino, insisted this Friday, June 28, during a tour of the Darién that Panama cannot continue to bear the immigration problem, which has worsened in recent years.  “We will not be the ones paying for the crisis of neighboring countries,” he said.  Mulino said he has witnessed several crises in Darien, but migration has gone beyond the limits, with children and mothers suffering from disorders or trauma.  “No one can ask Panama to tolerate this,” Mulino criticized during a tour he made on Friday at the temporary migrant reception center in Lajas Blanca, located in the province of Darién.  His minister of Environment (Miambiente), Migration and Public Security were also present. 

After learning about the reality that the Darién is experiencing with migrants, Mulino insisted Panama will be loud and clear with the United Nations (UN), in which they will present a complaint about the damage that the migration crisis has caused to the country, economically, socially, health, pollution, agriculture, among other topics.  He warned that with this process Panama will be a whistleblower to the world about this situation treated in silence.  “I will not allow Panama to continue being the only one dealing with a crisis that is taking place in both countries.  I have asked the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security to raise a red flag so that I, as president, can present it to the UN,” said the president. 

He also assured that once he comes to power he will use the seat that Panama obtained with the UN Security Council to address the immigration issue.  He announced that he is already working with the United States on a draft agreement for both countries to pursue repatriation processes for migrants arriving from Darién.  “The agreement with the United States implies that both countries repatriate migrants.  I know that this has an important impact for them because this memorandum has been on the table for a long time,” Mulino confessed. 

Between one and two thousand migrants arrive daily at the temporary migrant reception center in Lajas Blanca.  Ecuador, Venezuela, China are just some of the countries with the greatest presence.  So far, according to the president-elect, Panama allocates $200 million in spending on care for migrants.