José Raúl Mulino

Mulino was born on 13 June 1959 in David, Chiriquí.{{Cite web |title=José Raúl Mulino |url=https://voto2024.maga.dev/en/candidatos/presidente/jose-raul-mulino |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Voto Informado 2024 |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://voto2024.maga.dev/en/candidatos/presidente/jose-raul-mulino |url-status=live }} He is the son of the politician and governor of the province of Chiriquí José Mulino Rovira, and the businesswoman Nelly Quintero de Mulino.{{Cite web |title=Chiricanos piden la libertad de José Raúl Mulino |url=https://www.diaadia.com.pa/el-pais/chiricanos-piden-la-libertad-de-jose-raul-mulino-642239 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Día a Día |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://www.diaadia.com.pa/el-pais/chiricanos-piden-la-libertad-de-jose-raul-mulino-642239 |url-status=live }} His brother is the diplomat José Javier Mulino.{{Cite web |date=9 June 2013 |title=Muere padre del ministro Mulino |url=https://www.critica.com.pa/nacional/muere-padre-del-ministro-mulino-273511 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=www.critica.com.pa |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://www.critica.com.pa/nacional/muere-padre-del-ministro-mulino-273511 |url-status=live }}

He completed primary and secondary studies at the San Vicente de Paul School, in David, Chiriquí. He graduated university with a Bachelor of Science and Letters. He later studied law and political science at the Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua, graduating in 1982. The following year he completed a master's degree in maritime law from Tulane University.

After graduating in law, he dedicated himself to private professional practice in the field of maritime law, and in 1988 he became a founding partner of the Fábrega, Molino y Mulino law firm.{{Cite web |date=12 August 2018 |title=Perfil: José Raúl Mulino Quintero |url=https://www.ecotvpanama.com/programas/eco-news/perfil-jose-raul-mulino-quintero_1_21642 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=www.ecotvpanama.com |language=es-PA |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123429/https://www.ecotvpanama.com/programas/eco-news/perfil-jose-raul-mulino-quintero_1_21642 |url-status=live }} During that time he began his activism against the military dictatorship of Manuel Noriega, as a representative of various trade associations.

In 1990 he was appointed Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the government of president Guillermo Endara, after the restoration of democracy. After the death of Foreign Minister Julio Linares, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs and remained in office until the end of the administration in 1994.{{Cite web |date=28 October 1993 |title=MURIÓ CANCILLER PANAMEÑO |url=https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-250037 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=El Tiempo |language=spanish |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-250037 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2 August 2009 |title=Su Excelencia José Raúl Mulino - TuPolitica.com |url=https://tupolitica.com/ministro-jose-raul-mulino/ |access-date=24 March 2024 |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123429/https://tupolitica.com/ministro-jose-raul-mulino/ |url-status=live }} During his time as minister, he visited different governments and international organizations, and served as Head of the Negotiating Delegation of the Republic of Panama before the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom, for the negotiation and signing of mutual legal assistance treaties on criminal matters and crimes related to drug trafficking.{{Cite web |date=24 January 2021 |title=Ministerio de Gobierno |url=https://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/fiscalia-superior-asuntos-internacionales/asistencia-juridica-internacional/autoridades-centrales/ministerio-de-gobierno/ |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Procuraduria General de la Nación |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123429/https://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/fiscalia-superior-asuntos-internacionales/asistencia-juridica-internacional/autoridades-centrales/ministerio-de-gobierno/ |url-status=live }} From 1994 to 1995 he was a member of the National Council of Foreign Relations and Substitute Magistrate of the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.

In the Martinelli government he was appointed as Minister of Government and Justice in 2009 and served only one year, to 2010 where he submitted his resignation.{{Cite web |date=20 March 2024 |title=¿Quién es José Raúl Mulino, el sustituto del expresidente Martinelli en la campaña electoral de Panamá? |url=https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/sustituto-expresidente-ricardo-martinelli-elecciones-panama-/7535726.html |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Voz de América |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123429/https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/sustituto-expresidente-ricardo-martinelli-elecciones-panama-/7535726.html |url-status=live }} He was thereafter appointed as Minister of Public Security from 2010 and served until the end of the administration in 2014. He received important tasks, becoming one of president Martinellis most trusted allies. As minister he reinforced security on the streets, through the application of police checkpoints, which Mulino claimed was a success as the police had managed to arrest fifteen thousand criminals trying to leave Panama,{{Cite web |date=27 October 2011 |title=Policía Nacional seguirá aplicando el 'pele police' en las calles |url=https://radiopanama.com.pa/policia-nacional-seguira-aplicando-el-pele-police-en-las-calles-1569089/ |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=RADIO PANAMÁ |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123430/https://radiopanama.com.pa/policia-nacional-seguira-aplicando-el-pele-police-en-las-calles-1569089/ |url-status=live }} although some lawyers raised concern.{{Cite web |date=4 October 2011 |title=Retenes policiales y uso del pele police deben ser regulados por ley |url=https://www.critica.com.pa/nacional/retenes-policiales-y-uso-del-pele-police-deben-ser-regulados-por-ley-198510 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=www.critica.com.pa |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123430/https://www.critica.com.pa/nacional/retenes-policiales-y-uso-del-pele-police-deben-ser-regulados-por-ley-198510 |url-status=live }}

On 9 March 2012, he announced his resignation as Minister of Government and Justice, after disputes with the director of the National Police of Panama Gustavo Pérez, over the regulation of a new statute for security entities of the state.{{Citation |author=HE KEO REMY |date=5 November 2018 |title=Seeking Justice in Cambodia |pages=106–115 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/jj.5371959.12 |access-date=24 March 2024 |publisher=MUP |doi=10.2307/jj.5371959.12 |isbn=978-0-522-87330-6 |archive-date=6 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506122421/https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.5371959?turn_away=true |url-status=live }} However, on 14 March he retracted his resignation, after the dismissal of Pérez from the position of police by president Martinelli.{{Cite web |title=Mulino no se irá y tampoco denunciará amenaza golpista |url=https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/politica/ira-mulino-denunciara-JPLE352975 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=www.laestrella.com.pa |language=es-PA |archive-date=12 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212195828/https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/politica/ira-mulino-denunciara-JPLE352975 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Martinelli quita a Gustavo Pérez de la Policía y nombra a Julio Moltó |url=https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/nacional/quita-perez-gustavo-policia-martinelli-HMLE361006 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=www.laestrella.com.pa |language=es-PA |archive-date=12 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212195748/https://www.laestrella.com.pa/panama/nacional/quita-perez-gustavo-policia-martinelli-HMLE361006 |url-status=live }} In July 2013, he was one of those in charge of handling the crisis of the North Korean ship Chong Chon Gang, in which Cuba was transporting war material hidden in 250,000 bags of brown sugar, but which was detained in Panamanian waters.{{Cite web |date=16 July 2013 |title=Lo que se sabe del barco norcoreano retenido en Panamá |url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2013/07/130716_panama_corea_norte_armas_cuba_buque_jp |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=BBC News Mundo |language=es |archive-date=12 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212214519/https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2013/07/130716_panama_corea_norte_armas_cuba_buque_jp |url-status=live }} The North Korean crew members were detained and later released and deported, in addition to receiving a fine from the Panama Canal Authority and retention of war material.{{Cite web |date=8 February 2014 |title=El Chong Chon Gang podrá zarpar de Panamá tras pago de multa |url=https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/nacion/el-chong-chon-gang-podra-zarpar-de-panama-tras-pago-de-multa-1066 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Panamá América |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/nacion/el-chong-chon-gang-podra-zarpar-de-panama-tras-pago-de-multa-1066 |url-status=live }}

In 2015 he was imprisoned for allegedly committing crimes against the public administration, but in the end his case in 2016 was annulled due to procedural errors.

Mulino has been involved in party politics and was the founder of the Solidarity Party, serving first as vice president and then president. He later served as the Second Vice President of the Patriotic Union. He joined Martinelli's Democratic Change in 2011 until he left the party in 2019, three years later he joined Martinelli's new founded party Realizing Goals.

On 28 May 2018, he ran as a presidential candidate for Democratic Change (CD), with the purpose of regaining control of the party for former leader Martinelli, who had friction with Rómulo Roux, the new president of CD.{{Cite web |date=31 May 2018 |title=Si soy presidente el que manda soy yo; José Raúl Mulino |url=https://radiopanama.com.pa/si-soy-presidente-el-que-manda-soy-yo-jose-raul-mulino-3756499/ |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=RADIO PANAMÁ |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123430/https://radiopanama.com.pa/si-soy-presidente-el-que-manda-soy-yo-jose-raul-mulino-3756499/ |url-status=live }} However, he lost the primaries to Roux, with whom he then, after several months of refusal, allied to support his candidacy in the 2019 elections.{{Cite web |date=7 August 2018 |title=Mulino aceptará 'la voluntad de la mayoría' en caso de no salir victorioso en primarias |url=https://www.tvn-2.com/100-dias-en-el-poder/noticias/jose-raul-mulino-cambio-democratico-video_1_1351052.html |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Tvn Panamá |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123430/https://www.tvn-2.com/100-dias-en-el-poder/noticias/jose-raul-mulino-cambio-democratico-video_1_1351052.html |url-status=live }} Mulino argued that his alliance sought to return the growth, prosperity and jobs that CD had achieved during the Martinelli government, whom he also supported on his return to the country;{{Cite web |date=17 January 2019 |title=José Raúl Mulino y Rómulo Roux dejan sus diferencias a un lado y se unen por Cambio Democrático |url=https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/politica/jose-raul-mulino-y-romulo-roux-dejan-sus-diferencias-un-lado-y-se-unen-por-cambio |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Panamá América |language=es |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/politica/jose-raul-mulino-y-romulo-roux-dejan-sus-diferencias-un-lado-y-se-unen-por-cambio |url-status=live }} however, Roux finished in a second place losing narrowly to Laurentino Cortizo.{{Cite web |date=6 May 2019 |title=Cortizo declared winner in Panama president race |url=https://apnews.com/international-news-general-news-95f3bbba662c4cc78450937ef4db1573 |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324123428/https://apnews.com/international-news-general-news-95f3bbba662c4cc78450937ef4db1573 |url-status=live }}

{{main|2024 Panamanian general election}}

Mulino was Martinelli's vice-presidential candidate in the 2024 elections; Martinelli, however, was disqualified from running after being sentenced to almost eleven years in prison for money laundering. As a result, Martinelli who led all polls in the follow-up to the election endorsed Mulino and Realizing Goals nominated him. After the endorsement 26% of those surveyed said they would vote for Mulino in the elections, 16 points more than his immediate followers, according to the survey by the company Mercado Planificado, published by the newspaper La Prensa. After Martinelli's disqualification, the Electoral Tribunal decided that the ballot for the Realizing Goals should list Mulino as "presidential candidate without a vice president."{{Cite web |last=De La Cruz |first=Omar |date=4 March 2024 |title=Tribunal Electoral inhabilita a Ricardo Martinelli como candidato presidencial |url=https://www.tvn-2.com/tu-decision-2024/inhabilitan-ricardo-martinelli-candidato-presidencial-elecciones-2024-realizando-metas-tribunal-electoral-jose-raul-mulino_1_2114708.html |access-date=24 March 2024 |website=Tvn Panamá |language=es |archive-date=5 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305051817/https://www.tvn-2.com/tu-decision-2024/inhabilitan-ricardo-martinelli-candidato-presidencial-elecciones-2024-realizando-metas-tribunal-electoral-jose-raul-mulino_1_2114708.html |url-status=live }}

Mulino won the election with 34.2% of the vote.{{Cite web |author1=Mia Alberti |author2=Juan Carlos Paz |date=6 May 2024 |title=Panama's Mulino declared 'unofficial' winner of presidential election |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/06/americas/panama-election-mulino-unofficial-winner-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=6 May 2024 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=6 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506171323/https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/06/americas/panama-election-mulino-unofficial-winner-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=6 May 2024 |title=José Raúl Mulino: Stand-in for convicted candidate wins Panama presidency |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-68963959 |access-date=6 May 2024 |language=en-GB |archive-date=6 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506171329/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-68963959 |url-status=live }} He defeated a total of seven other candidates, among whom his closest rival was Ricardo Lombana of MOCA, who received around 24.6%.{{cite news |author1=Valentine Hilaire |author2=Elida Moreno |date=5 May 2024 |title=Panama's Mulino wins presidency with support from convicted former leader |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/panamanians-vote-crowded-field-presidential-contenders-2024-05-05/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506023850/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/panamanians-vote-crowded-field-presidential-contenders-2024-05-05/ |archive-date=6 May 2024 |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=Reuters}} With a turnout of 77%, the election had the highest turnout since the end of military rule and the restoration of a democratic government in 1989.{{Cite web |last=Morales |first=Claudya Carolina |date=12 May 2024 |title=¡Récord histórico! 77% del electorado votó en las elecciones del 5 de mayo |url=https://www.tvn-2.com/tu-decision-2024/record-historico-77-electorado-voto-elecciones-panama-5-mayo_1_2134764.html |access-date=13 May 2024 |website=Tvn Panamá |language=es}}

Mulino was sworn in as president on 1 July 2024.{{Cite web |date=1 July 2024 |title=José Raúl Mulino sworn in as Panama's new president, promises to stop migration through Darien Gap |url=https://apnews.com/article/panama-mulino-immigration-darien-gap-31f214b8c9885c6e9f943c5ed9cc9ac1 |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=1 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701202304/https://apnews.com/article/panama-mulino-immigration-darien-gap-31f214b8c9885c6e9f943c5ed9cc9ac1 |url-status=live }} During his inauguration speech, he promised the end of irregular migration through the Darién Gap. He also criticised the outgoing president Laurentino Cortizo for Panama's lagging economy and high public debt.

Mulino has called the Panama Papers, which documented money laundering, corruption and tax evasion, "an international hoax to undermine the image and competitiveness of our country."{{Cite web |date=2024-07-03 |title=Panama's new president labels Panama Papers a 'hoax' as experts voice concerns about money laundering acquittals |url=https://www.icij.org/inside-icij/2024/07/panamas-new-president-labels-panama-papers-a-hoax-as-experts-voice-concerns-about-money-laundering-acquittals/ |website=ICIJ |language=en-US}} He applauded a Panamanian court verdict that cleared 26 defendants in a corruption investigation related to the Panama Papers.

In December 2024, US President-elect Donald Trump criticized Panama Canal passage rates as being too expensive, warned against potential Chinese control of or influence over the canal, and raised the possibility of a US demand for the full and immediate return of control over the canal to the United States. President Mulino immediately rejected each point of this criticism and pre-emptively refused to return the canal.{{cite web |url= https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-says-he-might-demand-panama-hand-over-canal-2024-12-22/ |title= Trump threatens to retake control of Panama Canal |first=Gram |last=Slattery |date=2024-12-22 |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=Reuters |archive-url= https://archive.today/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-says-he-might-demand-panama-hand-over-canal-2024-12-22/ |archive-date=2024-12-23}} Trump and Mulino had a phone call scheduled for February 7, 2025, but the call was postponed by Trump to an unknown date "due to last-minute changes in the U.S. leader's agenda," according to U.S presidency.{{Cite web |work=Reuters |date=February 7, 2025 |title=Trump postpones call with Panama's president as canal tensions simmer |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-postpones-call-with-panamas-president-canal-tensions-simmer-2025-02-07/}}

{{Election results

|cand1=José Raúl Mulino

|aspan1=3

|alliance1=Realizing Goals–Alliance

|party1=Realizing Goals

|votes1=668527

|party2=Alliance Party

|votes2=110245

|atotal3=778772

|cand4=Ricardo Lombana

|alliance4=Another Way Movement

|votes4=559432

|cand5=Martín Torrijos

|alliance5=People's Party

|votes5=364576

|cand6=Rómulo Roux

|alliance6=For a Better Panama

|acolor6={{party color|Democratic Change (Panama)}}

|aspan6=3

|party6=Democratic Change

|votes6=138274

|party7=Panameñista Party

|votes7=120544

|atotal8=258818

|alliance9=Independent

|cand9=Zulay Rodríguez

|votes9=150338

|cand10=José Gabriel Carrizo

|alliance10=Vamos con todo Panamá

|acolor10={{party color|Democratic Revolutionary Party}}

|aspan10=3

|party10=Democratic Revolutionary Party

|votes10=126454

|party11=Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement

|votes11=7337

|atotal12=133791

|alliance13=Independent

|cand13={{ill|Maribel Gordón|es}}

|votes13=24531

|cand14={{ill|Melitón Arrocha|es}}

|alliance14=Independent

|aspan14=3

|party14=Independent Social Alternative Party

|votes14=2442

|party15=Independent

|votes15=2218

|atotal16=4660

|blank=19101

|invalid=38544

|electorate=3004083

|source=Tribunal Electoral{{Cite web|language=Spanish|title=General Election 2024, Election of the President|url=https://resultados.te.gob.pa/resultados/100/presidente/1|website=Tribunal Electoral|access-date=6 May 2024}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web |title=TE Presents Final Electoral Census |language=Spanish |url=https://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/te-presenta-padron-electoral-final/ |access-date=6 May 2024 |archive-date=5 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505174951/https://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/te-presenta-padron-electoral-final/ |url-status=live }}

}}

{{notelist}}

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• [https://www.cidob.org/lider-politico/jose-raul-mulino-quintero Biography by CIDOB] (in Spanish)

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{{Presidents and heads of state of Panama}}

{{Heads of state of republics}}

{{Heads of State in Central America}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulino, Raúl José}}

Category:Living people

Category:Tulane University alumni

Category:1959 births

Category:Panamanian lawyers

Category:21st-century lawyers

Category:21st-century Panamanian politicians

Category:21st-century Panamanian lawyers

Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Panama

Category:Presidents of Panama