A caravan of dozens of migrants turns back due to fear of Trump's actions

This Tuesday, Panamanian authorities detained a caravan of illegal migrants, mostly Venezuelans, who decided to abandon their attempt to reach the United States due to the immigration policies implemented by the Donald Trump administration.

The caravan, composed of dozens of migrants who had crossed Central America and Mexico, was stopped just 3 miles from the Paso Canoas border, where a group of anti-riot agents forced the migrants to return to Costa Rica to undergo a repatriation process coordinated between the authorities of both countries.

Effects of Trump's policies

Several migrants interviewed noted that the stricter U.S. immigration policies were a decisive factor in desisting from their attempt to enter the country. One of the migrants, who preferred not to be identified, commented, "We went in search of a dream and a mission that could not be fulfilled, and now we are going back home again," referring to the frustration of not being able to enter the United States. Others, such as Andres Paredes, a Venezuelan who was part of the caravan, indicated that they feared the difficulties of the journey and the risk of being stranded without being able to cross the border, which led them to decide to return.

Coordinated repatriation between Panama and Costa Rica

Before the detention of the caravan, the Security Ministers of Costa Rica, Mario Zamora, and Panama, Frank Ábrego, had agreed on a repatriation mechanism for the migrants. The migrants were sent to a shelter in Costa Rica, where they would undergo biometric checks to verify their criminal records. Subsequently, they would be transferred by buses to Panama and repatriated by air or sea.

The Panamanian Ministry of Security emphasized the importance of guaranteeing an orderly and safe migratory flow, in accordance with the legal and humanitarian principles established by both governments.