Panama speeds up deportations of migrants crossing Darién jungle

Panama expelled another 30 Colombian migrants who entered the country through the Darién Jungle border on Saturday, as part of the implementation of a recent agreement with the United States, the government said.

A “deportation flight of migrants who entered irregularly through the Darién Jungle” was carried out, the Ministry of Security said on its X (formerly Twitter) account. Vice Minister Luis Felipe Icaza specified that “30 Colombians, including 6 prominent figures,” were deported.

Last Tuesday, the Panamanian government made its first use of the Washington agreement, deporting 29 Colombians with criminal records on a charter flight. These individuals also entered the country through the Darién, the inhospitable jungle on the Colombia-Panamanian border that has become a migration corridor for those heading to the United States.

Upon taking office on July 1, President José Raúl Mulino signed a migration agreement with the United States, in which Washington pledged to finance the deportation of migrants from Panama who cross the Darién River with a contribution of six million dollars.

“We will do what is necessary gradually (to stem the flow of migrants through that jungle), but I am encouraged to see that we have started the agreement with the United States,” Mulino said.

According to official Panamanian figures, more than 520,000 people crossed that jungle in 2023. This year, more than 231,000 have made the perilous journey, including 153,577 Venezuelans, 14,598 Ecuadorians, 14,674 Colombians and 12,065 Chinese.

During the election campaign, Mulino had promised to “close” the Darién to migration, but once in power he softened those statements, saying he did not intend to carry out “forced” repatriations, but voluntary repatriations, and deportations only of people with criminal records.

In this jungle, which covers 575,000 hectares, migrants face numerous natural hazards and also run the risk of being attacked, raped or murdered by criminal gangs.