Panama and Costa Rica agree measures for the transfer of migrants returning to the south

The authorities of Panama and Costa Rica agreed on Tuesday to transfer the migrants who return from the north of the continent to the south to shelters at the borders and then return them to their countries of origin in airplanes paid by the US Inverse migratory ».

The Minister of Security of Panama, Frank Abrego, explained that the meeting with his Costa Rican counterpart, Mario Zamora, “allowed to establish an initial protocol to manage the return of irregular migrants, which contemplates its concentration at the Migrant Care Center (CATEM) in Costa Rica ».

From that Catem «they would be transferred to Metetí (in Darién, border with Colombia) or the plans of Gualac (in Panama, bordering with Costa Rica), and subsequently repatriated by air or maritime to their countries of origin, in coordination with the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States, ”adds the minister according to a statement.

Panama will study Venezuelans to their country

With the new situation of «inverse migratory flow» that occurs from North to South with the hardening of the migratory policies of the US president, Donald Trump, Panama will study the possibility of transferring Venezuelans directly to his country or, since there is no diplomatic relations Between the two nations, through a third, an official Panamanian source reported on Tuesday.

«With Venezuela we do not have diplomatic relations, but the Panamanian Foreign Ministry will effectively try to make the relevant contacts through the authorities to get them to receive their nationals,» said Public Security Minister Frank Abrego, in statements to journalists .

This transfer of Venezuelans would be «directly to their country of origin or through another country that initially receives it,» he said.

Panama suspended diplomatic relations with Venezuela on July 29, after the proclamation of Nicolás Maduro as reelected president in the elections held a day before, without the National Electoral Council (CNE) of that country to present the minutes that support it , and acknowledged as the winner of the elections the opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia.

Abrego referred to this possibility of sending Venezuelans from Panama after meeting today with the authorities of Costa Rica, with which he analyzed this inverse flow of migrants.

Procedure for migrants

It was agreed «that irregular migrants must be presented at the CATEM, where their data will be recorded and biometric control will be performed to verify the absence of criminal records,» according to the official information of the Panamanian security portfolio.

Both authorities «continue to analyze strategies to manage the reverse migratory flow» and «among the measures considered highlights the implementation of the same bus transport system from the CATEM to white slabs (Darién), where migrants would receive assistance before their return to the south ».

On February 2, the Panamanian President, José Raúl Mulino, proposed to the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, during his official visit to the country, strengthening cooperation in deportation of migrants since both countries have maintained a Agreement to return to passersby who have crossed the dangerous jungle of the Darién, the natural border with Colombia, on flights paid by the North American country.

An «inverse migratory flow»

This coordination between Panama and Costa Rica occurs after a «reverse migratory flow» was detected, from the north to the south, which so far «slow, but shows a tendency to increase,» according to the Panama statement.

«We want to guarantee an orderly, legal, humanitarian and safe migratory flow. This meeting marks the beginning of a coordination that seeks to ensure the return of migrants to their countries of origin in adequate conditions, ”said Costa Rican minister.

The meeting between both ministers was held on Tuesday in «Costa Rican territory» to «analyze and optimize the reverse return flow from north to south,» according to the Panamanian government information.

Migrants were traveling from South America, crossing the dangerous jungle of Darién to reach North America, mainly the US, in search of better living conditions.

However, since the arrival of Donald Trump to power, migratory policies with raids in the streets have been hardened.

Specifically, on January 21, Trump’s administration issued an order that allows immigration authorities of «protected areas» where those raids were prohibited.

Mexico also reinforced the deployment of its security force on the border with the United States after the agreement reached with Trump for which it postponed the application of 25 % tariffs to the country.