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 and lawyer. He became the 39th president of Panama in 2024. As president, he is the leader of the country and its government.

Mulino won the 2024 Panamanian election with 34% of the votes. He ran as the candidate for the Realizing Goals party. Before becoming president, he served in important government roles. He was the Minister of Government and Justice from 2009 to 2010. He also served as the Minister of Public Security from 2010 to 2014. Both of these roles were during the time when Ricardo Martinelli was president.

Mulino also worked as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1993. He then became the Minister of Foreign Relations from 1993 to 1994. These roles were 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 of the Chiriquí province. His mother was Nelly Quintero de Mulino, a businesswoman.

He attended the San Vicente de Paul School in David for his primary and secondary education. After that, he went to the Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua. He studied law and political science there and graduated 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 finishing his studies, Mulino worked as a lawyer. He focused on maritime law. In 1988, he helped start a law firm called Fábrega, Molino y Mulino. During this time, he also became active in politics. He worked to bring democracy back to Panama.

Political Career Highlights

Mulino began his political career in 1990. He was appointed as the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. This was during the government of President Guillermo Endara. After the Foreign Minister passed away, Mulino became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held this position until 1994.

Key Roles in Government

As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mulino traveled to many countries. He met with different governments and international groups. He also led talks between Panama and other countries, like the United States and the United Kingdom. These talks were about working together on legal matters.

From 1994 to 1995, he was part of the National Council of Foreign Relations. He also served as a substitute judge for the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.

In 2009, Mulino became the Minister of Government and Justice under President Martinelli. He held this role for about a year. In 2010, he became the Minister of Public Security. He stayed in this position until 2014. As Minister of Public Security, he worked to make streets safer. He was a trusted ally of President Martinelli.

In July 2013, Mulino helped manage a situation involving a North Korean ship called the Chong Chon Gang. The ship was stopped in Panamanian waters because it was carrying unusual cargo.

Party Involvement

Mulino has been involved in several political parties. He helped start the Solidarity Party. He served as its vice president and later as its president. He also served as the Second Vice President of the Patriotic Union.

In 2011, he joined President Martinelli's Democratic Change party. He left that party in 2019. Three years later, he joined Martinelli's new party, Realizing Goals.

Presidential Campaigns

In 2018, Mulino ran as a presidential candidate for the Democratic Change party. He wanted to help former President Martinelli regain control of the party. However, he lost the primary election. Later, he supported the winning candidate in the 2019 elections.

Mulino was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate for Ricardo Martinelli in the 2024 elections. However, Martinelli was not able to run for president. Because of this, Martinelli supported Mulino to become president instead. The Realizing Goals party then nominated Mulino as their presidential candidate.

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

Mulino won the election on May 5, 2024, with 34.2% of the votes. He won against seven other candidates. 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 the President of Panama on July 1, 2024. During his inauguration speech, he talked about important issues. He promised to address the issue of irregular migration through the Darién Gap. This is a challenging jungle area between Panama and Colombia.

He also spoke about Panama's economy. He mentioned the country's economic challenges and public debt.

Mulino has also commented on the Panama Papers. He called them "an international hoax" that aimed to harm Panama's image. He supported a Panamanian court's decision that cleared some people involved in the investigation related to the Panama Papers.

In December 2024, former US President Donald Trump shared his thoughts on the Panama Canal. He said the passage rates were too high. He also warned about potential Chinese influence over the canal. Trump even suggested the US might demand full control of the canal back. President Mulino quickly disagreed with these points. He stated that Panama would not return control of the canal. A phone call between Trump and Mulino was planned for February 7, 2025, but it was postponed by Trump.

Election Results

2024 Presidential Election

See also

In Spanish: José Raúl Mulino para niños