Panama transfers over a hundred migrants to border with Colombia

Panama has transported more than a hundred migrants, mostly Venezuelans, to a small indigenous town on the Caribbean coast near the Colombian border. The migrants will continue their journey back to South America after failing to reach their intended destinations in the United States.

The National Migration Service stated that 116 migrants were moved from Colón province to Puerto Obaldía, a town in the Guna Yala region bordering Colombia. The group included 85 adults and 31 minors from Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, the United States, and Costa Rica. Official information indicated that non-South American nationalities were typically children born in those countries to migrant parents.

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The group is conformed by 85 adults (61 men and 24 women) and 31 minors of Venezuela (majority), Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, United States and Costa Rica, according to official information.

This operation involved an official vessel carrying personnel from the National Aeronaval Service and the National Migration Service, along with medical staff, to ensure passenger safety. The return journey follows increased efforts by migrants to go from North to South America due to stricter U.S. immigration policies under President Donald Trump.

Panama has seen around 3,700 migrants entering the country for repatriation to their home countries by mid-May, primarily Venezuelans, Colombians, and Ecuadorians. This reverse migration route along the Caribbean coast to Colombia is a challenging journey. The situation marks a shift from the previous years of mass migration through the Darién Gap, a dangerous jungle border with Colombia. New policies by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, including flights funded by the U.S. for migrants crossing the Darién (excluding most Venezuelans), and blocking illegal crossings, have drastically reduced this flow. Since Trump's return to power in 2025, the passage has nearly ceased.

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The official vessel departed from 'Muelle 3 with personnel from the National Aeronaval Service and the National Migration Service, on board including medical and paramedic equipment to guarantee the safety and physical integrity of all passengers during the crossing'.