Attachments
Key Figures
10,500 Refugees and asylum-seekers live in Panama, mainly from Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
62,233 People crossed the Darien jungle between July and September.
UNHCR informed 14,008 people about the risks of the route, Panama’s asylum system, and UNHCR’s mandate.
Context
In July, President José Raúl Mulino was inaugurated for the 2024-2029 term and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the US to curb irregular entries in Darien. By 30 September, 263,296 people had crossed the jungle, marking a 36 percent decrease from last year's figures. Officials credited the reduction to the implementation of new border and repatriation measures. By the end of September, they had deported over 600 people from Colombia, Ecuador, and India.
Following Venezuela’s elections, Mulino suspended diplomatic relations with the country, questioning Maduro’s win and advocating for a review of the results.
The President attended the MERCOSUR Summit in Paraguay, and expressed Panama’s interest in joining the trade bloc. He highlighted irregular crossings’ humanitarian and environmental impacts through the Darien jungle. At the UN General Assembly, Mulino reiterated Panama’s call for regional cooperation to address this matter.
Panama, Colombia, and the US held their third Trilateral Meeting to discuss the displacement crisis. Participants committed to encouraging dialogue with other regional actors to reduce irregular crossings, promote alternative legal pathways for those in transit, and expand protection mechanisms with a human rights-based approach.