First U.S.-Funded Migrant Repatriation Flight from Panama Set for Tuesday

The first U.S.-funded flight repatriating irregular migrants from Panama is scheduled for Tuesday. These flights, a result of a recent accord with the U.S., will transport deported and voluntarily repatriating migrants. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, who assumed office in July, aims to curb migration through the hazardous Darien Gap.

The first U.S.-funded flight aimed at repatriating migrants who entered Panama irregularly is slated for Tuesday, according to a statement from the Panamanian president's office on Monday.

These flights, which will include both deported and voluntarily repatriated migrants, are part of an agreement signed with the U.S. government last month. Details regarding the destination of the inaugural flight were not disclosed in the advisory.

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, who took office in early July, pledged to address the issue of migration through the perilous Darien Gap connecting Panama and Colombia. Last year, the jungle region saw a record influx of over half a million migrants, most of whom intended to reach the United States.