Sharjah24 - AFP: Due to President Donald Trump's deportation plans, Panamanian police on Tuesday turned back hundreds of migrants, primarily Venezuelans, who were attempting to return home after giving up on their trip to the United States.
Riot police compelled a group of migrants to return to Costa Rica for an orderly repatriation process.
Dreams Unfulfilled
A nameless migrant expressed disappointment, stating, "We went in search of a dream that could not be fulfilled and now we are heading back home again."
Venezuelan Andres Paredes shared his concerns about facing hunger and homelessness during the arduous journey to the United States, only to be denied entry.
At a Costa Rican shelter, migrants will undergo biometric checks for criminal records before being transported to Panama for repatriation by air or sea, as per Panama's security ministry.
Commitment to Safe Migration
Costa Rican Security Minister Mario Zamora emphasized the need for an "orderly, legal, humanitarian, and safe flow of migration."
Many migrants had previously risked their lives traversing the perilous Darien jungle from Colombia to Panama.
Upon returning to office, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern US border, promising to deport "millions and millions" of migrants.
Panama's Actions
Following a July agreement with Washington, Panama has closed several routes in the Darien region and deported migrants with US financial support, sending them back to countries like Colombia and Ecuador.
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