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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.
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