Panama receives first US deportation flight under new agreement

Panama has received its first U.S. flight carrying deportees from various nations, as part of an agreement in which the Central American country acts as a stopover for migrants expelled by the United States.

President José Raúl Mulino confirmed the arrival of the flight on February 13, stating that it carried 119 migrants of different nationalities, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“Yesterday a flight from the United States Air Force arrived with 119 people from diverse nationalities of the world,” Mulino said during his weekly press briefing on February 13. He specified that the group included individuals from China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Mulino added that the flight was the first of three planned deportation flights, expected to total approximately 360 individuals.

“It’s not something massive,” he noted, addressing concerns about the scale of the operation. The deportees were expected to be transferred to a shelter in Panama’s Darién region before being returned to their home countries, he said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Ruiz Hernández later clarified Panama’s role in the arrangement, emphasizing that the U.S. had specifically requested the country’s cooperation. He also pointed out that the U.S. government was financing the repatriation process through U.N. immigration agencies.

“Panama has been completely willing to participate and cooperate in this request they have made of us,” Ruiz stated.

He further noted that the individuals who arrived on February 12 had been detained after illegally crossing the U.S. border but did not have criminal records.

The agreement follows a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Panama last week, during which he met with Mulino. While discussions centred on U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands for renewed control over the Panama Canal, migration cooperation was also on the agenda. Mulino offered Panama as a transit point for deportees, reinforcing the country’s commitment to aiding U.S. efforts to curb migration through the Darién Gap.

As part of a broader regional approach, Rubio also secured agreements with Guatemala and El Salvador to accept migrants from other nations, further expanding U.S. capacity for deportations.

Migration through the Darién Gap, a key route for migrants travelling north from South America, has significantly declined under Mulino’s administration. According to official figures, crossings were down by approximately 90% in January compared to the same month in 2024.

Since taking office last year, Mulino’s government has carried out dozens of deportation flights, many of which have been funded by the U.S. government. The new agreement underscores Panama’s deepening role in regional migration management amid heightened U.S. efforts to speed up deportations.

By Vugar Khalilov