435 stranded Venezuelans leave on charter flights

Some 435 Venezuelan migrants stranded in Panama have been returned home on charter flights. It is expected that in the next few hours another 200 South Americans will follow.

Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney, made the announcement at a Friday press conference.

The coordination of the flights takes place between the Foreign Ministry, the National Immigration Service, and the Venezuelan Mission in Panama.

This occurs after the United States began to apply a new policy for Venezuelans: whoever enters irregularly through the land border with Mexico will be immediately expelled to Mexican territory.

The United States also announced a program that gives legal status for two years to 24,000 Venezuelans who arrive by plane and have a sponsor.

Tewaney said that it seems that the new immigration policy of the United States towards Venezuelans is beginning to give “a result.” Three days ago the crossing of irregular migrants from through the Darién “was 2,665, one day after 1,522 and Thursday] 1,213. It seems that the flow of travelers was going down,”.

Tewaney stressed that Panama is holding talks at the “highest level” with Colombia and Costa, and with the United States, and is promoting future meetings in search of concrete regional actions to resolve the humanitarian crisis.