Panama closes migrant center in Darién

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Mulino said that Panama will not allow more migrants into the Darién region and will close the support program that has been operating since 2016. He stressed that the above mission has been completed, which is of great significance for the security of the region and Panama.

The Bajo Chiquito and Canaan Membrillo migrant centers, where Panama and some 20 UN agencies and NGOs assisted migrants after they crossed the dangerous Darién forest – the natural border between Panama and Colombia – will be closed. There, migrants were provided with food, medical services and had their biometric data collected. The humanitarian operation cost more than $50 million.

According to Mr. Mulino, the number of migrants passing through the Darién forest has dropped sharply from 36,841 (March 2023) to 112 (March 2024), equivalent to a decrease of 97-98%. This decrease is attributed to the Panamanian government’s measures to close the forest trails and the stricter migration policies of the United States under President Donald Trump.

Since 2016, when 30,055 people migrated through Panama to the United States, the number of illegal migrants through the Darién jungle has increased dramatically, peaking at 520,085 in 2023. However, in 2024, the number dropped sharply to 302,203.

Now, a reverse migration from the north is emerging, with 961 people returning home from the US and Mexico. Many of these people had given up on entering the US due to the Trump administration's mass deportation policy.

President Mulino also said that of the 299 migrants from other countries deported to Panama by the US in January 2024, 90% have continued their journey home, while the rest from distant countries such as Iran and Afghanistan are trying to leave using other resources.

Upon taking office in July 2024, Mulino's government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States to prevent the deportation of illegal migrants through Darién.

The closure of the migrant centers in Darién marks a turning point in Panama's efforts to control the flow of illegal migrants, and reflects the impact of strict US migration policies.