Panama's President Jose Raul Molino vowed in his inauguration speech that he would no longer allow his country to serve as "transit" country for migrants through the Darin jungle, reported AFP and Reuters.
"We cannot continue to fund the economic cost of illegal migration. "Panama will no longer be a transit country for illegal immigrants," he said, referring to the passage of migrants from South America to the United States through the dangerous Darin jungle, a route that runs through Central America and Mexico. In 2023, half a million people have passed through it.
Mullino, 65, said he found the figure "shocking" and that he intends to seek solutions with the "affected countries, especially the US, which is the final destination of the migrants".
On Sunday, the right-wing president met with US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with whom he then signed an agreement yesterday to repatriate migrants who had traveled through Darin to the Colombian border. With this agreement, "the United States will support Panama's efforts to begin the rapid, safe and humane repatriation of migrants who have no legal basis to remain in Panama," Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the US National Security Council, said after the signing. "By returning such individuals to their countries of origin, we will help deter unreasonable migration in the region and at the US southern border and stop the enrichment of unhealthy human trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable migrants," she added.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 200,000 people, most of them Venezuelans, have passed through the Darin jungle, where criminal gangs subject them to robbery and racketeering. Many of them become victims of violence and die, notes AFP.
In addition, the new president promised to return economic growth to the levels seen during the administration of popular ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, a former running mate of his. Martinelli could not run because of his conviction for money laundering, Reuters recalls.