Costa Rica’s president told AFP in an interview on Friday that it would be hard to block US-bound migrants from crossing the lawless jungle between Panama and Colombia.
Rodrigo Chaves was commenting on a proposal made by the frontrunner in Panama’s presidential election, Jose Raul Mulino.
“It’s a policy that will be difficult to carry out, precisely because of the desire of these people to leave” their countries, said Chaves, who received Mulino last week in San Jose.
“There are countries in South America where life is of such poor quality that their citizens are willing to spend days in a jungle,” added Chaves, 62.
“On the other hand, there are countries that are magnets for migrants that do not have a constant and clear migration policy. One day they receive them, other days they close the border,” he added.
Last year, more than half a million people braved the so-called Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, where they faced perilous river crossings and violent criminal gangs that extort, kidnap and abuse them.
During a campaign stop in Panama City on April 16, Mulino told reporters: “We’re going to close the Darien and we’re going to repatriate all these people,” without saying exactly how he would do it.
“I hope and trust that the United Nations (Refugee Agency) will help us,” he added, pledging to respect migrants’ human rights.
Along with other international groups and nongovernmental organizations, the UN agency has personnel in the jungle helping migrants.
Mulino, who served as security minister during Ricardo Martinelli’s 2009-2014 presidency, is leading the race for the May 5 election, according to opinion polls.
Panama’s electoral tribunal last month annulled the candidacy of Martinelli, a month after he lost his last bid to avoid prison and took asylum in the Nicaraguan embassy.
Source: