In the coming days or weeks, Panama could begin the aerial deportation of Venezuelan migrants crossing the Darién jungle to third countries, as part of an agreement between the Panamanian government and the United States, according to Marlen Piñeiro, U.S. regional internal security attaché, in an interview with the EFE agency.
Data on migration flows until October indicate that the main countries of origin of migrants crossing the Darién are Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, China, Haiti, India, Peru, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. Piñeiro, of Cuban origin with Spanish ancestry, has been working on migration issues for 37 years and calls on migrants to choose legal pathways, avoiding risks such as violence, exploitation, and emotional scars, especially in children.
The U.S. official noted that while charter deportation flights to Colombia, Ecuador, and India have been conducted, irregular migrants have also been deported on commercial flights to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, and Turkey. It is expected to expand the nationalities of destination for deportations in collaboration with several receiving countries.
There has been a reduction in the number of Colombian and Ecuadorian migrants crossing the Darién since deportation flights began. Although the majority of migrants crossing the jungle are Venezuelans, the suspension of diplomatic relations between Panama and Venezuela has hindered their deportation. Until September, 67% of migrants who arrived in Panama were Venezuelans.
Despite the absence of deportation flights for Venezuelans, there has been a widespread decrease in the number of migrants crossing the Darién, with 36.5% fewer irregular travelers compared to the same period last year. Piñeiro highlighted the work of the Panamanian administration in this regard, as well as the influence of President Biden's migration policies in the region.
