Colombia, Panama and the U.S. Meet to Address Migration Crisis and Organized Crime
Heads of Panama, Colombia and U.S Aug 26, 2024 Photo: @EstrellaOnline
August 26, 2024 Hour: 4:03 pm
The meeting seeks to establish an agenda for addressing the growing migration crisis and the threat of transnational organized crime in the region.
The coastal city of Cartagena was the setting for a trilateral meeting between representatives from Colombia, the United States and Panama.
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The meeting seeks to establish an agenda for addressing the growing migration crisis and the threat of transnational organized crime in the region.
The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, leads the talks along with Colombian foreign minister Luis Gilberto Murillo and his Panamanian counterpart, Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha.
The summit is part of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, an agreement signed in July 2023 that establishes mechanisms for regional cooperation on migration and security.
Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha; his Colombian counterpart, Luis Gilberto Murillo; and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, meet in Cartagena de Indias to discuss issues of irregular migration and organized crime.
A key item on the agenda is the implementation of the recent bilateral agreement between Panama and the United States, in force since July 1, 2024.
This agreement allows for the deportation or repatriation of migrants using the dangerous route of the Darien jungle, with flights financed by the USA.
The first flight of migrants to Colombia was made on 20 August, in an effort to stem the flow of irregular migration.
In addition to the migration crisis, the three countries have indicated that they will seek to strengthen their collaboration in the fight against transnational criminal organizations.
Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, is defending Mexican sovereignty and migrant rights amid recent diplomatic tensions with the United States.
«Let us not forget that Mexico is a free, independent and sovereign country; it is not a colony of any foreign country», declared López Obrador, in what is interpreted as a clear response to the recent statements by US ambassador Ken Salazar, who expressed his rejection of the initiative to reform the Mexican Judiciary.
The Mexican president took advantage of the inauguration of the works of the National Port System-Guaymas to reiterate his commitment to migrants: We will always defend them, like it or not. We do not want walls or militarization of the border. We do not want mistreatment of our countrymen». Lopez Obrador’s statements reaffirm Mexico’s position as a sovereign nation in the face of external pressures.
The Ministry of Security of Panama has revealed data on the migration crisis in the region of Darién, the dangerous border forest between Colombia and Panama. Frank Ábrego, Panamanian Minister of Security, reported that as of 2024, approximately 230,000 migrants have crossed this area.
Among the figures, it is worth noting that at least 45 migrants of various nationalities have lost their lives trying to cross the Darién. Abrego warned that this figure could be higher due to underreporting and lack of reports, in addition to the difficulties in recovering bodies in the dense jungle.
As regards the nationality of migrants, data show that 14,659 Colombians have crossed the Darién this year, representing 6.3% of the total number of migrants. Surprisingly, Ecuador ranks third with 14,569 migrants, followed by China with 12,067 identified persons.
Autor: CC
Fuente: La Estrella Panamá- Diario La Libertad
