Panama deports migrants on US-funded flights, sends 29 Colombians home

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

PANAMA OFFICIALLY ACTED ON ITS PROMISE TO FIGHT THE FLOW OF U.S. BOUND MIGRANTS THROUGH THE COUNTRY USING DEPORTATION FLIGHTS FUNDED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

PANAMA’S GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCING TUESDAY IT DEPORTED 29 COLOMBIANS ON THE FIRST FLIGHT.

THE MOVE IS PART OF AN AGREEMENT MADE THIS SUMMER BETWEEN PANAMA AND THE UNITED STATES.

IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE COUNTRY’S NEW PRESIDENT, JOSE RAUL MULINO, WHO VOWED DURING HIS CAMPAIGN TO STOP MIGRANTS FROM PASSING THROUGH THE DANGEROUS DARIEN GAP– A DEADLY JUNGLE CORRIDOR LINKING SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA. 

LAST MONTH, MULINO’S GOVERNMENT INSTALLED BARBED WIRE ALONG ROUTE THAT HAS BECOME A KEY  PASSAGE WAY FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS HEADING TO THE U-S AND THE ONE THE NOW-DEPORTED COLOMBIANS USED.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF MIGRANTS COMING THROUGH THE REGION ARE FROM VENEZUELA. 

BUT PANAMA IS NOT CURRENTLY ABLE TO DEPORT THEM HAVING SUSPENDED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH VENEZUELA WHILE ITS PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO CLINGS TO POWER FOLLOWING A CONTROVERSIAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

THE U-S BELIEVES PANAMA’S EFFORTS WILL SLOW ILLEGAL CROSSINGS AT THE U-S – MEXICO BORDER AND HUMAN SMUGGLING OPERATIONS.

COLOMBIA’S PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO PREVIOUSLY CRITICIZED THE MEASURES.

ARGUING THEY DO NOT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION– LIKE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. HE CONTENDS THE REAL SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE ECONOMIC BLOCKADES AND IMPROVE THE ECONOMIES OF REGIONAL NATIONS.

FOR MORE ON EFFORTS TO CURB THE FLOW OF MIGRANTS THROUGH THE DARIEN GAP– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.