Drastic Reduction in Colombian Migrants Through the Darien

A pilot program that seeks to reduce the number of people risking crossing the dangerous Darien jungle, a critical point on the migration route to North America, has managed to reduce the number of Colombians crossing by 65% ​​in recent months.

This is a cooperation agreement signed between the United States and Panama, which has allowed the financing of flights for the deportation of migrants who do not have legal grounds to remain on Panamanian soil.

Since the memorandum for the management of irregular migration was signed on July 1, the United States has contributed more than $1 million to finance 19 charter flights and several commercial flights, returning a total of 787 people, according to a report from the U.S. Embassy in Panama on Tuesday.

This agreement managed to reduce the migratory flow by 92% for Ecuadorian migrants and 65% for Colombians, compared to the months of August and September of last year.

The deported foreign citizens, some with criminal records, were prosecuted under Panamanian immigration law and international agreements on the protection of migrants.

According to the Embassy, ​​“the funding provided by the United States government covers the deportees’ travel, escorts, translators, and other related expenses.”

During the first three months of the pilot plan, to which the Panamanian State Department allocated 6 million dollars, people have been deported on charter flights to Colombia, Ecuador and India. In addition, four irregular migrants were returned on commercial flights to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.

“Migratory flows represent a common challenge for our two countries,” said the United States ambassador to Panama, Mari Carmen Aponte. “Panama is a close ally of the United States and proof of this is that it was the first country to have such an understanding with us,” she said.

According to the embassy, ​​the memorandum “seeks to discourage people from putting their lives at risk by crossing the Darien jungle, exposing themselves to rape, robbery, violence, extortion and even death.”