José Raúl Mulino

Built World

Visited affected areas to deliver aid and called for urgent repairs to roads and bridges

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on October 9, 2026, at 17:56 UTC, centered 12 kilometers west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province at a depth of 12.6 kilometers. The U.S. Geological Survey first reported it as magnitude 8.0, then revised it to 7.7; Panama's Institute of Geosciences put it at 7.6.

Updated Oct 28

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Overseeing transition of port operations while asserting Panamanian sovereignty

A Hong Kong firm has operated the ports on either end of the Panama Canal since 1997. That ended on January 31, 2026, when Panama's Supreme Court voided CK Hutchison's concession as unconstitutional, and Denmark's Maersk assumed temporary control of the Balboa and Cristobal facilities.

Updated May 26