Panama Urges Trump to Continue U.S. Assistance for Migrant Repatriation Efforts
Panama’s President José Raul Mulino has called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to maintain Washington’s financial support for the repatriation of migrants intercepted while crossing the Darien Gap, a treacherous jungle region between Colombia and Panama.
During a press conference on Thursday, Mulino emphasized that Panama would continue implementing the repatriation program based on the protocol signed with the Biden administration on July 1. He expressed hope that the incoming Trump administration would uphold the agreement, with only minor adjustments.
With the help of a $6 million allocation from Washington, Panama has repatriated over 1,000 migrants through charter flights to Colombia, Ecuador, and India.
Mulino stated that the future U.S. administration could not ignore the migrant crisis in the Darien, which has long been a dangerous passage for migrants fleeing economic hardship and violence. However, he noted that he has not had formal discussions with Trump on the issue, despite the president-elect’s threats to deport large numbers of migrants from U.S. soil.
Since the beginning of the year, nearly 300,000 migrants have crossed the Darien, a 40% decrease from 2023. In November, around 11,000 migrants made the perilous journey, a 50% drop from October. Panama’s government attributes the decline to U.S. financial assistance and additional measures, including the closure of certain jungle paths and increased security controls.
