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This article was originally published in The Epoch Times in Spanish.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino declared this Sunday, February 2, that he offered the United States his country’s territory as a bridge for deporting immigrants to other nations during his conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
At a press conference, the Panamanian leader revealed that he had offered the airport area of Metetí, in the province of Darién, Panama, to facilitate the transfer of illegal immigrants from the United States to their destination countries.
Mulino detailed that he held a private meeting of approximately one hour with Rubio, followed by a session where his team of ministers and advisors met with the U.S. delegation.
The offered airstrip would be used so that «from there, the repatriation process for people from various countries, such as Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, among other nationalities, could take place,» he added.
Mulino explained that the offer would be included in a memorandum of understanding that Panama signed with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in July of last year.
«Expanding the agreement with the United States, which was signed on July 1 of last year. We can do this without any problem, entirely at the cost of the United States. Panama will not invest a dollar in this,» Mulino stated.
The Metetí airport, also known as the San Vicente Airfield, was inaugurated in 2009 and is located in the community of San Vicente, Metetí district, province of Darién.
«The Metetí airstrip is there. I built it when I was Minister of Security. It is a large airstrip, initially intended for disaster relief to supply aid to victims, among other uses,» he explained.
Mulino indicated that, if necessary, facilities would need to be built to house the immigrants, and the airstrips might require expansion to accommodate military aircraft landings.
«Perhaps it will need to be extended by several meters to allow much larger planes to land than those that currently do, but it is already a sufficiently large airstrip to handle immigrant management,» he detailed.
Additionally, Mulino clarified that his offer does not include the presence of U.S. military personnel in the region.
When asked about how deportation links with other countries, particularly Venezuela, would be managed, the president stated that it would be the responsibility of the United States.
«Panama does not have relations with Venezuela, so I am in no position to discuss how a link with Venezuela would work. If there is any arrangement to transport Venezuelan citizens, I believe at this moment it would be up to the U.S. government to handle that,» he said.
Visit of the U.S. Secretary of State to Panama.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began his trip to Latin America by meeting with Panamanian leaders, urging them to urgently address China’s growing influence in the region.
In a meeting in Panama City on Sunday, Rubio stated that President Trump determined that «the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal,» according to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, for his part, declared that his country would not renew its memorandum of understanding with China to participate in the Chinese Communist Party’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Mulino stated that the agreement is due for renewal in two years and that his government is considering terminating it earlier, according to his statements at the same press conference.
«We will explore the possibility of ending it sooner or not, but I believe it is up for renewal in one or two years,» the president said.
A report from Panama’s National Migration Service, published in January of this year, revealed that during 2024, at least 302,203 foreign nationals, mostly Venezuelans (209,897), crossed through the dangerous Darién jungle.
«Historical statistics on irregular immigrant flows indicate that in 2019, 22,102 foreigners arrived; in 2020, the number was 8,549; in 2021, it rose to 133,653; increasing further in 2022 to 248,248; and in 2023, the number surpassed 520,085,» stated a report from Panama’s National Migration Service published in July 2024.
Mulino announced during his inauguration speech on May 9, 2024, his intention to put an end to the «Darién Odyssey,» which he described as «unjustifiable.»
«I reiterate that Panama and our Darién are not a transit route. No, sir. That is our border, and the concept of closure that I have outlined also carries a philosophical principle related to border security,» he stated.
At that time, the president mentioned his plan to seek international assistance to return these migrants to their countries of origin, «a repatriation process conducted with full respect for the human rights of all individuals involved.»
Source: The Epoch Times in Spanish
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