On Tuesday, Panama launched a big new program to deal with illegal immigrants passing through the country. Here’s the twist: US taxpayers will be picking up the tab to send these migrants back to their home countries. This move is part of a new plan by Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino to stop his country from being a major route for people trying to get to the United States.
Last year, over half a million migrants crossed the dangerous Darien Gap, a jungle area between Panama and Colombia. To tackle this, Panama has started flying migrants who entered illegally back to their home countries. The US government is paying for these flights, which is costing American taxpayers around $6 million to start.
On the very first flight of this new program, 29 Colombians were sent back home. These migrants had criminal records in Colombia, and one was even linked to a notorious criminal gang called the Clan del Golfo. They were all escorted onto the plane in handcuffs and ankle cuffs, watched closely by Panamanian border officers. More flights are planned to return people to other countries, like India and Ecuador, with the next one set for this Friday.
However, there’s a snag. Panama’s decision to halt diplomatic ties with Venezuela has delayed the deportation of Venezuelans, who make up a large portion of the migrants. Venezuelans were expected to leave their country if President Nicolas Maduro won the election. The US wants Maduro out, and Panama had offered him a safe passage out of the country, but Maduro warned Panama not to interfere.
In a deal made on the same day Mulino took office, the US agreed to cover the costs of sending back illegal migrants from Panama and to help with equipment and logistics. The deal is making headlines because it shows a new way of handling migration issues, with American dollars playing a big role.
The Darien Gap is notorious for being incredibly dangerous. Migrants have to travel through thick jungle, facing natural dangers, and risk being robbed, kidnapped, or worse by criminal gangs.
Earlier this month, Panamanian police caught 15 people involved in a high-end migrant smuggling ring. This operation, aimed at Chinese clients, promised a safer and faster journey through the Gap for a hefty price.
The US Department of Homeland Security has made it clear: the message is that the Darien Gap is no longer a safe route. But with thousands of people still crossing it, this new policy is just the beginning of a much bigger battle.
