President José Raúl Mulino highlighted the phrase 'And me neither' when addressing the most talked-about topic on the streets: the economy. That economy which some celebrate because it grows in figures, but that millions do not feel in their pockets. The president acknowledged that international organizations highlight Panama for its growth, but he also reminded of the other half of the story: the inequalities that have gone unresolved for decades. 'Here there are skyscrapers on one side and poverty 10 minutes away. And that doesn't get fixed in a day.' And he capped it off with another line that made it clear this didn't start yesterday: 'Panama 2 did not start last month'. In this sense, the president insisted on three pillars that, in his opinion, are the key to change and closing the gap of inequality: strong public education, technical careers that provide real jobs, and youth with access to financing to start businesses and enter the formal economy. Mulino asked to leave behind 'the birds of ill omen'. When questioned about a group of deputies visiting Taiwan, Mulino said: 'I hope they enjoy Taiwan, but they do not have the legal capacity to speak on investment issues. That is discussed by the Executive Branch with countries, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs'. Rumors of Chinese companies in ports: 'That does not exist'. Regarding alleged bids by Chinese companies to operate ports in Panama — something that even former President Donald Trump is said to have warned about — Mulino was blunt: 'That does not exist. But the country has not failed. I don't know who invented that news.' According to the president, there is no Chinese company bidding for ports, not even a procedure in progress to consider something like that. Reducing milk for the school feeding program: 'I am not going to let it affect the Panamanian producer'. And on the issue of the Meduca tender and the reduction of milk for the school feeding program, Mulino indicated that 'I am not going to allow that tender to affect Panamanian producers.' He assured that he asked for conversations with the Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, to review the contract and understand why the amount was reduced. He recalled that his government has stopped imports that harmed the agricultural sector, and will do so again if necessary: 'I am not going to leave national production unprotected.' There is no open process. In his conversation this Thursday, President José Raúl Mulino was straightforward with those who seek to make his administration fail. 'There are people who would like the country to fail so that I fail.'
