Panama: A Hub for US Deportation Stopovers

Panama has begun receiving deportees from multiple nations via US flights, with the first carrying 119 individuals from diverse countries. This is part of an agreement with the Trump administration, utilizing Panama as a temporary stopover before returning migrants to their home countries.

Panama has officially started serving as a transit point for deportees from various countries as part of an arrangement with the Trump administration. The Central American nation received its first flight carrying 119 people from different nationalities, President José Raúl Mulino announced on Thursday.

The flight arrived from the United States Air Force, bringing migrants from countries including China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. This flight is the first of three anticipated flights, expected to transport a total of around 360 individuals. Mulino emphasized that the effort is not a massive operation, serving more as a logistical transit point.

Post arrival, the migrants are to be housed temporarily in Panama's Darien region before being returned to their countries. This effort follows recent discussions between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Mulino, focusing on reducing migration through the Darien Gap and utilizing Panama as an intermediate point for deportees by the US.