About a hundred migrants deported by the United States to Panama, mostly Asians, were placed this Wednesday in a shelter in the inhospitable Darién jungle, where they must wait until being repatriated. For several days, 299 migrants were in a hotel in the Panamanian capital, unable to leave despite the government’s claim that they were not deprived of liberty. A Chinese citizen escaped from there, was recaptured in Costa Rica and returned to Panama.
“So far, 97 [deported migrants] have been transferred to the San Vicente shelter” in Darién province, the Ministry of Security said in a statement. The center is located near the jungle town of Metetí, 230 km east of the capital, a journey that takes more than five hours. The transfer by buses was carried out during Tuesday night to Wednesday but was only confirmed hours later by the Panamanian government.
Until now, this shelter was used by migrants entering Panama from Colombia after crossing the dangerous jungle, in their march toward the United States in search of a better life. At the Decapolis hotel in the capital, 175 migrants still remain, of the 299 expelled in recent days by Washington, “who have agreed to voluntary return” to their countries, the ministry indicated.
“So far, 41 airline tickets have been purchased: 9 for Turkey, 17 for India, 8 for China, 5 for Georgia, 1 for Nepal, and 1 for Kosovo,” it added. Among the 299 migrants sent to Panama between last Wednesday and Saturday, there are 157 women, according to the department.
In the windows of their rooms at the Decapolis, some migrants hung handwritten signs in English saying: “Please help us,” “We are not safe in our country.” The hotel is guarded by police and, an employee told AFP, is not hosting tourists for now.
Chinese citizen Zheng Lijuan escaped from there but was recaptured, the National Migration Service said in a statement. She “was located in Costa Rican territory and returned to Panama,” the Ministry of Security specified. Migration indicated that Zheng will continue “with her journey, proceeding with the corresponding procedures for repatriation to her country of origin.”
Panamanian Security Minister Frank Ábrego appeared before the press on Tuesday following a report by The New York Times, which had access to testimonies from some migrants via text messages, and according to which they were stripped of their passports and most of their phones. According to that media, several deportees indicated that in the hotel “at least one person tried to commit suicide,” of which Ábrego said he learned about through the newspaper.
The minister indicated that the repatriation of migrants or their relocation to other countries will be handled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
During a recent Latin American tour by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Panama and Guatemala agreed to serve as a “bridge” for migrants of other nationalities deported by Washington, and on Monday Costa Rica joined. The Panamanian government agreed to collaborate with the deportation policy, amid pressures from threats by President Donald Trump that he will “recover” the Panama Canal if it doesn’t reduce its Chinese “influence.”
So far, only deported migrants have arrived in Panama as part of Trump’s new policy. However, 200 will arrive in Costa Rica this Thursday, including 50 children, said Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves.
