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Panama offers its territory to the US for immigrant deportation to other countries.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced this Sunday, February 2, that he has offered the United States the use of Panamanian territory as a transit point for deporting migrants to other nations. This proposal was presented during his conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

During a press conference, Mulino explained that he made available the airport area of ​​Metetí, located in the Darién province, to facilitate the relocation of illegal immigrants from US territory to their countries of origin.

The president detailed that he held a private meeting of approximately one hour with Rubio, followed by a broader session where his ministers and advisors met with the US delegation.

According to Mulino, the proposed airstrip would allow for the repatriation of people from various nationalities, including Venezuelans, Colombians, and Ecuadorians, among others.

He also explained that this offer would be part of a memorandum of understanding that Panama signed with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in July of last year.

«We are expanding the agreement signed with the United States on July 1 of last year. We can do this without any issues and without Panama investing a single dollar, as the entire cost will be covered by the United States, » stated the Panamanian president.

The Metetí Airport, also known as the San Vicente Airfield, was inaugurated in 2009 and is located in the community of San Vicente, in the Metetí district of Darién province.

«The Metetí airstrip is already there. I built it myself when I was Minister of Security. “It is a large airstrip, originally designed for disaster relief and the distribution of humanitarian aid,” Mulino explained.

The president indicated that, if necessary, additional facilities could be built to house migrants while their transfers are processed. He also acknowledged that the airstrip might need modifications to accommodate military aircraft.

«It may need to be extended by several meters to allow much larger plans to land than those currently using it. However, it is already a sufficiently large airstrip to handle migrant management ,” he added.

Additionally, Mulino made it clear that his offer does not include the presence of US military personnel in the area.

When asked about the logistics of deportations, particularly regarding relations with Venezuela, the president stated that establishing these agreements would be the responsibility of the United States.

«Panama does not maintain relations with Venezuela, so it is not my place to discuss how such a process would be arranged. If there is any agreement to transport Venezuelan citizens, I believe it is up to the US government to handle that,” he said.

US Secretary of State Visits Panama

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began his Latin American tour with a visit to Panama, where he urged local authorities to take urgent measures to curb China’s growing influence in the region.

During a meeting in Panama City, Rubio stated that former President Donald Trump viewed the increasing presence and control of the Chinese Communist Party in the Panama Canal area as a strategic threat, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

For his part, Mulino announced that his government will not renew the memorandum of understanding with China to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promoted by Beijing.

The president noted that the agreement is set for renewal in the next two years, although his administration is considering terminating it before the scheduled date.

« We will assess whether to end the agreement earlier or not. But as far as I understand, it is up for renewal in one or two years ,” the president stated.

 

full story at https://gatewayhispanic.com/2025/02/panama-offers-its-territory-to-the-u-s-for-immigrant-deportation-to-other-countries/

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