José Raúl Mulino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Excelentísimo Señor José Raúl Mulino
Mulino in 2024
39th President of Panama
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2024
Vice President	None
Preceded by	Laurentino Cortizo
Minister of Public Security
In office 14 April 2010 – 30 June 2014
President	Ricardo Martinelli
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Rodolfo Aguilera
Minister of Government and Justice
In office 1 July 2009 – 15 July 2010
President	Ricardo Martinelli
Preceded by	Dilio Arcia Torres
Succeeded by	Roxana Méndez (as Minister of Government)
Minister of Foreign Relations
In office 1993–1994
President	Guillermo Endara
Preceded by	Julio Linares
Succeeded by	Gabriel Lewis Galindo
Personal details
Born	(1959-06-13) 13 June 1959 (age 66) David, Panama
Political party	Realizing Goals (2022–present)
Other political affiliations	Solidarity Party (1994–2006) Patriotic Union (2006–2011) Democratic Change (2011–2019)
Spouse	Marisel Cohen de Mulino
Children	4
Alma mater	Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua Tulane University (LL.M)

José Raúl Mulino Quintero (born on June 13, 1959) is a Panamanian politician, diplomat, and lawyer. He is currently the 39th president of Panama, starting his term in 2024. He won the 2024 Panamanian election as the candidate for the Realizing Goals party. He stepped in to run after former President Ricardo Martinelli was unable to be a candidate.

Before becoming president, Mulino held several important roles in the Panamanian government. He served as the Minister of Government and Justice from 2009 to 2010. He was also the Minister of Public Security from 2010 to 2014. Both of these jobs were during the time when Ricardo Martinelli was president. Earlier in his career, he was the Deputy Minister (1990–1993) and then the Minister of Foreign Relations (1993–1994) under President Guillermo Endara.

Early Life and Education

José Raúl Mulino was born in David, Chiriquí, Panama, on June 13, 1959. His father, José Mulino Rovira, was a politician and governor. His mother, Nelly Quintero de Mulino, was a businesswoman. His brother, José Javier Mulino, is also a diplomat.

Mulino went to the San Vicente de Paul School for his early education. He then studied law and political science at the Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua, finishing in 1982. The next year, he earned a master's degree in maritime law from Tulane University. Maritime law deals with rules and laws related to ships and the sea.

After his studies, he worked as a lawyer, focusing on maritime law. In 1988, he helped start a law firm called Fábrega, Molino y Mulino.

Political Journey

Mulino began his political career in 1990. He was appointed Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs during the government of President Guillermo Endara. This was after democracy was brought back to Panama. Later, he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and stayed in that role until 1994. From 1994 to 1995, he was also part of the National Council of Foreign Relations.

In 2009, President Martinelli appointed Mulino as Minister of Government and Justice. He held this position for one year. In 2010, he became the Minister of Public Security and served until 2014. In this role, he worked to make the streets safer. He was considered a trusted ally of President Martinelli.

Mulino has also been involved in different political parties. He helped start the Solidarity Party. He later joined the Patriotic Union. In 2011, he joined Martinelli's Democratic Change party, leaving it in 2019. Three years later, he joined Martinelli's new party, Realizing Goals.

Running for President

In 2018, Mulino ran to be the presidential candidate for the Democratic Change party. He wanted to help former leader Martinelli regain control of the party. However, he did not win the party's primary election. Later, he supported the winning candidate, Rómulo Roux, in the 2019 elections.

For the 2024 elections, Mulino was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Ricardo Martinelli. However, Martinelli was unable to run for president. Because of this, Martinelli supported Mulino, and the Realizing Goals party nominated Mulino as their presidential candidate.

After Martinelli's support, Mulino's popularity grew quickly. The Electoral Tribunal decided that Mulino would be listed as the "presidential candidate without a vice president" on the ballot.

Mulino won the election with 34.2% of the votes. He competed against seven other candidates. His closest opponent was Ricardo Lombana, who received about 24.6% of the votes. The election had a high voter turnout of 77%. This was the highest turnout since democracy was restored in Panama in 1989.

Presidency

José Raúl Mulino became president of Panama on July 1, 2024. During his inauguration speech, he talked about stopping irregular migration through the Darién Gap. This is a difficult jungle area that many people cross to travel between South and North America. He also spoke about improving Panama's economy and managing the country's debt.

President Mulino has also shared his views on the Panama Canal. In December 2024, when the US President-elect criticized the canal's fees and raised concerns about its control, President Mulino quickly disagreed. He stated that Panama would not give up control of the canal. The Panama Canal is a very important waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

See also

In Spanish: José Raúl Mulino para niños