Panama asks the US to expedite resources for repatriating migrants

10/8/2024 6:34

        Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino asked the U.S. to accelerate aid deliveries for repatriating migrants who cross into Panama through the dangerous Darien Gap, as part of the president's efforts to slow migration through the Central American nation.
        
        Mulino took office in early July vowing to crack down on the record number of migrants crossing the Darien and announced an agreement with the U.S. under which Washington would foot the bill for sending back migrants who enter Panama without authorization.
        
        In July, irregular migrant crossings through the Darien fell 34% from the previous month, after Panama installed barbed wire and took other measures aimed at blocking migrants from making the dangerous journey.
        
        In a press conference on Thursday, Mulino called on the U.S. to deliver the money quickly, saying he needed it for repatriation flights.