In a surprise victory with potential implications for the Biden administration, José Mulino was elected president of Panama on 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.