The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, again highlighted the drastic drop in the flow of irregular migrants arriving in Panama over the past year and a half en route to North America, especially the United States. This became a humanitarian crisis that cost the Panamanian state millions of dollars, according to the country's authorities.
On Thursday, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced the first direct flight from Panama to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, carrying 70 Venezuelan immigrants enrolled in Panama's voluntary return program.
"This is the first flight to Caracas. 70 Venezuelan immigrants are returning voluntarily to their country, Venezuela, as I said, directly to Caracas. We no longer have to go through Colombia and all the hassle that entails," the head of state declared.
The number of irregular migrants recorded this year is far below the 302,203 travelers who arrived in Panama on their way to the U.S.
In 2025, 3,054 irregular travelers arrived in Panama, a number similar to the levels of 2012 and 2013, when 3,430 and 3,140 arrived, respectively, according to a graph shown during Mulino's weekly press conference.
For comparison: 520,085 in 2024, 520,085 in 2023 (the most critical year of the crisis), 248,283 in 2022, and 133,726 in 2021, according to the same official graph.
The drastic decline in migratory flows to North America is attributed to the tough immigration policy of the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, based on mass deportations and strong internal restrictions for this population, to which are added Panamanian measures such as the closure of paths in the Darién jungle, the natural border between Panama and Colombia.
"This Monday, flight number 60 under the program we have for voluntary return will take place," Mulino added.
Mulino did not give further details, so it is currently unknown which airline will make the trip to Caracas, which is served by Maiquetía International Airport, to which several international airlines have temporarily suspended flights due to operational risks associated with the U.S.'s unprecedented military anti-drug operation.
