During his usual weekly press conference, the head of state indicated that although the good relations with Joseph Biden and previous administrations will be maintained, now those ties will be marked by the growing flow of illegal travelers through the Darien jungle, in search of the “American dream,” he said.

Asked by the press when he plans to meet with the Republican leader, Mulino indicated we must wait for his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

It will be a good and clear relationship, in which irregular migration will occupy an important place, it is a common issue that we must resolve bilaterally, he added, but the United States is and will continue to be the main commercial and strategic partner for Panama in this region.

The participation of the Central American country starting next year as a non-permanent member in the United Nations Security Council, he said, will also be crucial in addressing the tragedy of transit through the jungle and the increasing incidence of organized crime and drug trafficking.

Mulino pointed to statistics from security agencies that assure due to the intense rains that hit the country, the number of walkers has decreased, mostly Venezuelans, followed by Colombians, Ecuadorians, Chinese and Haitians, in that order.

He also said that 26 charter flights have been carried out to date and 1,031 undocumented immigrants have been deported, thanks to the memorandum signed with the United States on July 1.

Another measure that has reduced crossings through the jungle, he said, is the closure of illegal trails with perimeter barriers and the installation of a single route that leads migrants to the community of Lajas Blancas.

This issue of joint attention to irregular migration was also discussed with the foreign ministers of Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, who attended a meeting of the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD) in this capital, he added.

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