Costa Rica and Panama Collaborate to Aid Southbound Migrants

Costa Rica and Panama are coordinating efforts to assist returning southbound migrants from the United States, focusing on safety and organized transit for individuals from Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, amidst challenges posed by stricter U.S. immigration policies. The initiative aims to protect migrants from human traffickers while addressing the needs of deported individuals from Asia.

Costa Rica and Panama have joined efforts to facilitate the transit of southbound migrants through their countries, following a shift that has seen many individuals attempt to return home after being denied entry to the United States due to stricter immigration policies under the Trump administration. Officials from both countries are addressing this new migration trend that has emerged in recent weeks.

The security ministers from Costa Rica and Panama convened in Peñas Blancas, a key border checkpoint between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, to strategize the transportation logistics for migrants heading back to Colombia. Migrants from Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador are particularly focused on in this initiative, with the intention of minimizing their risk of falling prey to human traffickers.

Costa Rican Security Minister Mario Zamora emphasized the goal of structuring the transit system to ensure the safety and protection of migrants. In addition, the Panamanian Minister, Frank Ábrego, underscored the necessity of making migration processes more regulated and organized across both nations.

As the efforts progress, migrants from Nicaragua have been observed entering Costa Rica, completing immigration checks, and boarding buses to transit south. Some migrants have opted for boat transportation from Panamanian ports to minimize the dangerous land passage across the Darien Gap. Venezuelan migrant Bárbara Somayor remarked, “I think it would be better if they offered us air transportation, because boats pose a risk for both adults and children.”

Complications have arisen as several southbound migrants reported being halted by immigration authorities in both Costa Rica and Panama while attempting to navigate their journey. Concurrently, both nations are accommodating hundreds of migrants, predominantly from Asia, who have been deported from the United States, with some opting to return to their home countries while others await a resolution of their status.

Some migrants remain in a camp established in Panama’s Darien, a facility that was initially dedicated to northbound migrants. They have expressed grievances about unsatisfactory conditions, inadequate information, and insufficient access to legal assistance. In response, a group of legal advocates sought intervention from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to ensure the protection of the rights of these detained migrants.

Both Costa Rica and Panama are taking significant steps to enhance the transit experience for southbound migrants, focusing particularly on groups from Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. By implementing organized transportation methods and aiming to safeguard against human trafficking, the two nations are adapting to the challenges posed by new migration dynamics. However, the situation remains complex, particularly for those migrants facing detention after being deported by the United States.

Original Source: apnews.com