Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino warned that increased political volatility in Venezuela after Sunday's presidential elections could lead to a rapid increase in the number of migrants crossing through the Darién Gap, the treacherous jungle path that connects the country with Colombia and is used as a main migration route through the continent.
"We are three days away from either a resolution or a worsening of Venezuela's political situation. I advocate for a democratic solution that respects the popular will. If this happens, I believe we will see an improvement, as Venezuela accounts for 66% of migrants (crossing the Darien). That country contributes a significant number of people in transit. If the situation in Venezuela improves after the elections, it is reasonable to expect that far fewer people will risk the dangerous transit through the Darién jungle. However, if the political situation worsens, we must be prepared for an increase in migratory flow in a very short time."
According to Mulino, this Sunday's elections in Venezuela represent one of the last opportunities for the country go back to a democratic path, allowing its people to find the solution they consider most appropriate for the country's issues.
Last Thursday, also during his weekly press conference, the Panamanian president noted that fair elections in Venezuela could potentially reduce the migratory flow through the Darién jungle, adding that "practically all of Venezuela is walking through there every day."
During that same press conference, Mulino made sure to also clarify the reach of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) he signed with the U.S. a few weeks back regarding the managing of the flow of migrants through the Darien Gap, minimizing his country's overall involvement.
"This is a United States problem that we are managing," Mulino, recently inaugurated as president, stated during his first weekly press conference. "People don't want to live here in Panama; they want to go to the United States."
Panama is trying to reduce migration through the dangerous jungle and has implemented several measures since Mulino took office, such as installing "perimeter barriers" (barbed wire fences) at certain points. The country's border police revealed this week that migration through the Darien Gap has significantly declined in July.
The National Border Service reported that 11,363 migrants crossed the border since the first day of the month, about 9,000 fewer than the same period last year.
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