Photos courtesy of the Colombian Ombudsman’s Office.
President Joe Biden’s administration allocated six million dollars to support Panama in its efforts against irregular migration crossing the Central American country. The new agreement seeks to facilitate deportation flights from Panama for those without a legal basis to be in the country.
Videos posted on social media show the installation of nearly 80 meters of barbed wire in the middle of the Darién jungle to stop the flow of migrants. The route connecting Colombia with Central America has become the path for thousands of migrants.
Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, has reaffirmed his commitment to curb irregular immigration using his country as a bridge to reach U.S. territory and said he would not allow Panama to remain silent in the face of this migration crisis that, although not its own, is now part of the isthmus.
The measure provoked a reaction from Colombia, with the South American country’s Ombudsman’s Office expressing concern and asking the Panamanian government to respect migrants’ right to access asylum.
“Following the Panamanian government’s announcement to close border crossings in the Darién border region between Colombia and Panama, we urge the Colombian government to ask Panamanian authorities to remember the importance of human rights, refuge, and migrants’ access to basic needs,” said Julio Balanta Mina, Colombia’s Ombudsman.
The human rights organization Human Rights Watch questioned the measure, which they consider ineffective, given that the jungle land border extends for 266 kilometers.
Additionally, they emphasize that migrants might create many more routes.
More than half a million people crossed the migration corridor at the border with Colombia last year. Most of the immigrants came from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and China.
Panama’s National Migration Service estimated that up to early June of this year, 174,513 people had passed through the Darién jungle.
The U.S.-Panama Agreement
The U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allocated six million dollars for this “pilot plan” to expand the tools available to the Panamanian government.
“This agreement will support Panama’s initiatives to humanely repatriate migrants who do not have a legal basis to remain in Panama,” said Eric Jacobstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Deportations will apply regardless of migrants’ nationality. However, it was clarified that “persons at risk of persecution or torture” who cannot return to their country will be rigorously reviewed.
U.S. officials added that in addition to funding repatriation flights, the six million dollars will be used for training and capacity-building to institutionalize safe and humane processes in Panama, including asylum claim evaluations.
“We Democrats have done a terrible job in actually talking about immigration”
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