Costa Rica and Panama Collaborate to Facilitate Southbound Migration
Costa Rica and Panama are working together to assist southbound migrants returning home, adapting to changing migration flows due to U.S. policy changes. Security officials have implemented a structured transit system to ensure safety and reduce human trafficking risks, while also managing the situation of deported migrants from Asia.
Costa Rica and Panama are collaborating to facilitate the transit of southbound migrants through their territories, adapting to the new trend of migrants returning from the U.S. border. This coordination began following the closure of the U.S. border to asylum seekers under the Trump administration’s policies, which significantly reduced the flow of migrants heading north. With many abandoning their plans to reach the U.S., officials are now directing efforts towards assisting those journeying back to their home countries.
The security ministers from both nations convened at the Peñas Blancas border post, which serves as an entry point from Nicaragua into Costa Rica. Here, southbound migrants will be transported by bus to a Costa Rican facility before continuing on to Panama’s Darien province, adjacent to Colombia. Costa Rican Security Minister Mario Zamora emphasized that the initiative aims to protect returning migrants, particularly those from Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, from falling prey to human trafficking operations.
The effort also intends to regulate the once unstructured flow of migrants now heading south. On Monday, small groups of migrants crossed into Costa Rica, where they cleared immigration and boarded buses for their continued journey. Last week, another group took to the Caribbean Sea via boats to reach the Panama-Colombia border, which avoids the perilous overland route through the Darien Gap.
Some migrants expressed concern over safety during transit. For instance, Venezuelan migrant Bárbara Somayor mentioned, “I think it would be better if they offered us air transportation, because boats pose a risk for both adults and children,” highlighting the risks involved in their current mode of transport. Recent reports indicate that many migrants have faced detentions by authorities when attempting to navigate independently through Costa Rica and Panama.
In addition to assisting southbound migrants, the two countries have agreed to accept several hundred migrants from Asia who were deported from the U.S. While some of these individuals have voluntarily returned home, others remain in detention as their situations are evaluated by humanitarian organizations. In Panama’s Darien province, where a former migrant camp now houses these deportees, some detainees have voiced grievances over substandard conditions and lack of legal representation.
Costa Rica and Panama are adapting to the evolving migratory patterns as more people return south, primarily due to restrictive U.S. immigration policies. Their coordinated response aims to ensure regulated transit to protect migrants from exploitation. Moreover, the situation for deported migrants from Asia raises concerns regarding human rights and adequate support, necessitating ongoing intervention and oversight from humanitarian groups.
Original Source: apnews.com
