Mulino aspires to democratic and free elections in Venezuela

Panamanian President-elect José Raúl Mulino, who will take office on July 1, said he hopes Venezuela will have free and democratic elections.

«A peaceful and democratic solution always solves problems» of the magnitude of what Venezuela is suffering, «It is up to the president to sponsor this peaceful and democratic solution. I only hope that there will be democratic and free elections in Venezuela.“Mulino said in an interview with the radio program Panama en Directo.

Venezuela will hold presidential elections on July 28 with Nicolás Maduro as a candidate for a second consecutive re-election and with Edmundo González Urrutia as a candidate of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) following the controversial disqualification of opposition leader María Corina Machado.

This presidential election will take place as the Venezuelan exodus continues, with some 8 million people leaving the country in recent years and seeking another future in Colombia, Chile, Peru, Brazil or Panama, from where thousands have headed to the United States.

«Let there emerge from there (the Venezuelan elections) recognition that the winner won it with a vote, which is the only way for that country to get on track, a great country. It is a country with reserves of all kinds of coveted minerals (…) I will watch it very carefully.“Mulino said.

The elected Panamanian ruler spoke regarding the Venezuelan community in Panama, where there are also “Major Venezuelan-owned banks“, and stressed “The strategic importance of Venezuela in energy“, in other aspects.

It is because of that “We have to have a suitable ambassador (in Venezuela) to be able to operate in that country, just like in Cuba.“Mulino added.

Panama is one of the countries that has expressed its “concern” regarding the situation in Venezuela and has called for “free and transparent” presidential elections.

Among his campaign promises, Mulino proposed closing the border crossing with Colombia, in the harsh jungle, in the face of the migration crisis.We are going to close Darien and repatriate all these people accordingly, respecting human rights.”they quoted the BBC from one of his interventions during his travels in Panama.