Panama's newly elected president aims to return migrants from the southern border area.
Panama intends to send away migrants who travel through the treacherous Darién Jungle in the country's south on their way to the United States.
Newly-elected right-wing President José Raul Mulino, speaking at his appointment ceremony by the election authorities, stated, "To end the trek through the Darién Gap, we'll initiate a repatriation process with international assistance, while respecting the human rights of all those living there."
He continued, "Anyone who arrives here from South America seeking asylum will be returned to their home country." The Darién jungle is "not a transit area" but "our border," Mulino emphasized. The boundary between Colombia and Panama passes through this stretch of land. The dense rainforest serves as a key route for migrants aiming to reach the US from South America via Central America and Mexico.
Last year, a staggering 520,000 people journeyed through this region, including approximately 120,000 children. In 2022, 62 people perished along this perilous journey, which is controlled by criminal organizations: 34 deaths have been reported in 2023. Most of these refugees come from Venezuela due to economic hardship. However, migrants from Africa and Asia also utilize the remote forest to reach America.
Throughout the election campaign, Mulino vowed to put a stop to migration via Panama. "The US border is no longer in Texas but in Panama," said Mulino, who served as the country's security minister from 2009 to 2014, just last month.
Image: Darién Gap Map
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Source: www.ntv.de
