Panamanian President says repatriation of migrants will be voluntary

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said on Thursday that the repatriations of irregular migrants crossing the dangerous Darién jungle that his government announced would be voluntary, since he cannot force migrants to return to their countries.

Mulino, who took office on July 1, promised to stem the growing flow of migrants entering Panama through the Darien Gap from Colombia by closing the border and reached an agreement with the United States to cover the cost of repatriation flights.

In his first press conference – he is scheduled to appear before the media on a weekly basis – reduced the role that Panama can play in addressing the migration problem and clarified that, by international agreements, this type of deportation process is already regulated.

The president indicated that this is a problem that Panama is handling but that it is “from the United States” because the migrants “do not want to stay in Panama.”

He added that if they do not want to be repatriated, “well, they will go there (to the United States), I cannot put them in jail” or repatriate them “by force.” He did not explain why the country could not expel foreigners who enter illegally.

Mulino, in turn, acknowledged that the six million dollars provided by the Agreement signed with the United States on migration will not be enough to address the situation of migrants.

In 2023, more than half a million people crossed the dangerous jungle on their way north and international organizations have reported an increase in violence in Darién, in addition to the problems they face due to the inhospitable nature.

And so far this year, according to Panamanian immigration authorities, 212,426 migrants have crossed the Darien, a figure that has decreased compared to the same period last year, partly due to greater control and the recent placement of fences at various points along the border. Of those who transit irregularly, 66% are Venezuelans.

Mulino said he hopes that another factor in the decrease in this figure is that the general elections on July 28 in Venezuela will take place in an orderly manner. Ecuador and Colombia are the next sources of migrants crossing the Colombian-Panamanian border.

“If the elections in that country are conducted well, and the will of the people is respected, whoever wins, I am sure that number will go down,” said the Panamanian president, explaining that sanctions against the South American country would be reduced and the situation could improve, which would discourage migration. “The internal situation in Venezuela will be an important factor, I believe, for migrants to make that decision individually.”

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