President-elect Jose Mulino vows to close the infamous Darién Gap route to hundreds of thousands of migrants heading to the United States.
In a surprise victory with potential implications for the Biden administration, José Mulino was elected president of Panama May 5 on a platform that included closing the Darién Gap to migrants on their way to the U.S. southern border.
During a May 6 interview with a Colombian radio program, the populist president-elect reiterated his vow to repatriate migrants coming into Panama while shutting down what has become a major route for illegal migration.
“When repatriation begins here, those who try to arrive will think twice because they will not have an easy destination because they will be transferred to their countries of origin,” Mr. Mulino said.
“At no point do I say that this will be an easy action, but it will be a firm decision, with the purpose of making it known that we are not sponsoring that [migration] here and that we are going to put a stop to it.”
Todd Bensman, senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, believes Mr. Mulino’s promise to shut down the Darién Gap could become embarrassing for President Joe Biden, who rescinded Trump-era policies meant to curtail illegal immigration in favor of open borders.
“The thing to watch here, I think, is how the administration manages to oppose something good for America and that most Americans would love to see happen,” Mr. Bensman told The Epoch Times.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Mr. Mulino on his victory, adding that controlling migration is one of the countries’ shared goals.
“I look forward to continuing our strategic partnership and advancing our shared goals of democratic governance and inclusive economic prosperity,” Mr. Blinken said in a May 6 statement.
“Looking ahead, the United States will continue to work with Panama on our common goals of inclusive, sustainable economic growth, bolstering citizen security, and cooperatively curbing irregular migration through the Darién.”
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