In Panama, from July 1st to June 30, 2029, lawyer José Raúl Mulino will be in power.
The president-elect, who was the last candidate to join the race, was never in a debate, it was a campaign that lasted almost less than a month and was promoted from social networks, but he still achieved more than 34% of the votes. His opponents, who They place him on the Panamanian right, they also see him as the dolphin of former president Ricardo Martinelli, who could not run in the elections due to receiving a sentence of almost 11 years for money laundering.
Mulino, even after giving his victory speech on Sunday night, moved to the Nicaraguan embassy itself in Panama City, where Martinelli is holed up.
Already on Monday, April 6, a Bloomberg report defined the results of the race for the Panamanian presidency as “a government in favor of investment and private enterprise,” since the president-elect promised strategies that encourage foreign investment in banking. , infrastructure and one of the most controversial points: mining. And on social issues, he was one of the most radical with migration from South America, even proposing “we are going to close Darién and we are going to repatriate all these people accordingly.”
Political career and controversies
Mulino was Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1990s, Minister of the Interior and Security during the Martinelli government (2009-2014). But it was precisely while he was in the former president’s cabinet that investigations began against him.
The now president-elect was investigated for the alleged receipt of bribes in a contract that the Government of Panama signed with the Italian company Finmeccanica between 2009 and 2014, for US$250 millionwhose objective was to install 19 radars for the fight against drugs, build a digital cartographic map and six surveillance helicopters.
In March 2016, a Panamanian court released Mulino from the prison detention in which he was, and eventually, the case ended. But It is even said that for the future of these investigations he would have requested political asylum from the then Government of Juan Manuel Santos.something that did not prosper.
The campaign proposals
José Raúl Mulino has a line of proposals marked by the economic recovery, develop infrastructure for road rehabilitation and strengthen the reach of electric energy. Here are their main proposals.
- Recovery of macroeconomic stability: Its main objective is to recover the economic stability of the country. This means attracting new investments and generating quality employment. Its goal is to achieve nominal economic growth of 7% and reduce unemployment until reaching full employment.
- Resolution of the problem of drinking water: Mulino is committed to comprehensively addressing the problem of drinking water throughout the country. This includes ensuring the distribution of clean water in urban and rural communities, and encouraging sustainable agricultural and industrial practices to reduce water pollution and preserve water resources.
- Reduction in the price of medicines: Proposes creating a Single Law on Purchases and inputs with a Single Price. This would lower the price of medicines and guarantee their supply.
- Improving education through technology: It plans to provide laptops to all students and guarantee free internet service for schools and colleges. This would facilitate access to information and knowledge.
- Security guarantee throughout the country: Considers security as a priority for the well-being and progress of the population. It is committed to ensuring security throughout the country.
- Infrastructure development: Proposes an ambitious plan for the rehabilitation and construction of roads and major works to improve the country’s infrastructure. This would not only improve connectivity and access to basic services, but would also generate jobs and have a multiplier effect on economic activity.
- Strengthening and provision of electrical energy: Its objective is to develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen and provide electrical energy throughout the country. This includes the implementation of a new cost structure to guarantee a lower energy price for the user, promoting competition in independent marketing to reduce prices, and massifying the use of solar panels on residential roofs and public offices.
- Resolution of the problem of the Social Security Fund: Commits to solving the CSS problem with broad consultation with the people and national consensus. This is crucial to ensure the sustainability of the country’s social security system.
