https://newsroompanama.com/2025/07/09/mulino-on-panamas-removal-from-the-european-unions-gray-list-it-was-a-titanic-effort/

Coclé: President José Raúl Mulino said he was “pleased” after Panama’s exclusion from the European Union’s list of high-risk jurisdictions for money laundering.  During an opening ceremony for the new Río Hato Health Center, the president emphasized that a “titanic effort” had been made, forcing him and his government to “push against all odds.”  He noted that, from now on, all maintenance work will be carried out to prevent the country from becoming involved in this type of disqualification again.  At the same time, he acknowledged the work of his team and the ambassadors in European countries who carried this flag forward to ensure Panama was removed from the list.  Since October 1, 2020, the European Union has included Panama on its list of “high-risk third countries” due to deficiencies in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.

Inauguration of the Río Hato Health Center

The president’s statements were made during an opening ceremony for the new Health Center in Río Hato, attended by Health Minister Fernando Boyd Galindo, Deputy Health Minister Manuel Zambrano, and other local authorities and representatives from the region.  According to Mulino, the Health Center is integrated with the Aquilino Tejeira Hospital, providing greater healthcare coverage to the population of Coclé. More than 17,000 people will benefit from the health facility, which will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., offering outpatient services, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, medical records, weight and height, social work, laboratory, gynecology, pediatrics, nutrition, early childhood stimulation, mental health, family medicine, and a portable X-ray unit.  The investment for this project was $15 million, and it began in 2023 following the issuance of the order to proceed during the administration of former President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen.

Chiquita Panama

Regarding the situation in Bocas del Toro, with the departure of the Chiquita Panama company, he indicated that the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Julio Moltó, is handling the matter, as it is a private business matter, not a government matter. However, he stated that “whatever is in our hands, we will do.”  “There is still, as far as I know, no final position on the Chiquita issue, except that they left,” he said.