Panama as a Transit Hub: First US Deportee Flight Lands

Panama welcomed its first flight of deportees under an arrangement with the United States. The flight carried 119 migrants of diverse nationalities. Panama will shelter the deportees before they are sent back to their home countries. The initiative involves a total of three flights.

Panama has become a pivotal stopover for deportees from the United States. The first flight under this initiative landed on Thursday, as confirmed by President José Raúl Mulino. This arrangement sees Panama aiding the US in deporting individuals while temporarily housing them.

The flight, operated by the United States Air Force, transported 119 migrants from various countries, including China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. These individuals, detained after crossing the US border, did not have criminal records, per Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Ruiz Hernández.

This operation is part of a larger plan involving three flights, ultimately repatriating around 360 migrants. The cooperation was discussed during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Panama, where broader regional migration strategies were also reviewed.