For the past five months, a total of 1,881 migrants have been deported or expelled from Panama as part of the collaboration with the United States Government. This action was triggered after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two nations, according to Panamanian authorities.
According to a report issued by the Panamanian Government, during the last five months of President José Rafael Mulino's administration, who took office on July 1, 1,627 irregular migrants have been deported and another 254 expelled. To date, 43 deportation flights have been registered.
The Ministry of Security of Panama specified that 133 of the deported migrants were returned to their countries on 16 commercial flights funded by the National Migration Service (SNM). Among those deported are citizens from Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and other nations such as Iran, Peru, Afghanistan, Lebanon, China, Armenia, Yemen, Pakistan, Ghana, and Turkey.
The agreement between Panama and the United States, signed on July 1, includes the aerial repatriation of irregular migrants who have crossed the jungle border with Colombia and reached Panama, with the United States financing the flights.
A reduction in the trafficking of irregular migrants through the Darién jungle, the natural border between Panama and Colombia, has been observed, with an 89% decrease in the first two weeks of January this year compared to the same period last year, according to official statistics.
The Panamanian Government attributes this drop in migratory traffic to various measures implemented, such as the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, the imposition of fines for irregular entry into the country, climate conditions, and the deportation flight program funded by the U.S.
