Written By Lisa Murimi
Starting Tuesday, Panama will begin repatriating undocumented migrants who crossed the perilous Darién Gap, with flights funded by the United States.
This initiative follows a commitment by Panama’s new president, José Raúl Mulino, to curb the flow of migrants through the treacherous jungle stretch.
The U.S. has agreed to finance the flights as part of its broader strategy to deter irregular migration, pledging $6 million for equipment, transportation, and logistics to support Panama in removing migrants without legal grounds to stay.
The flights will initially take migrants to Colombia, the country from which they entered Panama.
The Darién Gap, a dense jungle on the Colombia-Panama border, has become a dangerous passage for those heading north from South America.
In 2023 alone, an estimated 520,000 people made the hazardous journey, often falling prey to criminal gangs.
President Mulino described the migrants’ plight as “sad,” noting the high number of Venezuelans among them.
The move to repatriate migrants aligns with ongoing efforts to reduce the number of individuals reaching the U.S. border, a key issue in the lead-up to the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
