The United States announced the implementation of joint measures with Mexico to reduce the number of migrants arriving at its border, the scenario in Panama reflects how hundreds of them have been stranded in the country. Several of these migrants, mostly Venezuelans, decided to return to Panama from countries such as Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala. The Minister of Government, Roger Tejada, reported that the country is considering closing the passage for migrants through the trails of Darién and stressed that the Ministry of Security carries this out.

Roughly 187,644 migrants heading to the United States have arrived in Panama this year.  This was announced by the Minister of Public Security, Juan Manuel Pino, during a work tour in the province of Darién, on the border with Colombia.  Last Wednesday, the United States announced new measures to control Venezuelan migration: a program that gives legal status for two years to those arriving by plane and the immediate expulsion of most of those who cross the border through Mexico. For her part, the director general of the National Migration Service (SNM), Samira Gozaine, reported that currently more than 9,000 migrants are in reception camps in the province of Darién. “Panama continues to give him food, accommodation and health care, there are many children who come on these crossings and we can’t stop taking care of them,” Gozaine said.