The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, offered strong statements about the consequences of the decision taken by former President Juan Carlos Varela to suspend coastal surveillance in Panama by radar, declining this measure as an open door to drug trafficking in the country.
Mulino, who spent six months in prison due to the purchase of 19 radars for $125 million during his tenure as security minister, did not hesitate to express his frustration.
He noted that, despite criticism, he always defended his actions in favor of national security.
“He opened the door to drug trafficking in this country, on the coasts,” Mulino said, referring to Varela’s management.
The president also offered a stocktaking on the current drug trafficking situation in Panama.
According to Mulino, drug seizures have increased by 10.8 percent over the previous year, with a total of 31,750 packages of cocaine seized to date.
This increase, he added, reflects the magnitude of the problem and the infiltration of drug trafficking money, which is due to local gangs to facilitate the entry of drugs along the country’s coasts.
Regarding the coastal security infrastructure, Mulino denounced that the radars, which were part of a security project, were “decommitted” and allegedly sent to Italy, an accusation that the president denies.
He assured that some of these radars continue to operate today, albeit with limited capabilities.
However, he said he is working with international companies to recover and improve this surveillance infrastructure.
“We are looking for ways to rebuild this coastal security infrastructure with French and American companies,” Mulino concluded, reaffirming his commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and improving the country’s security capabilities.
This article was translated after appearing in Critica