The tragic death of an eight-year-old Venezuelan girl on Friday night in the waters of the Panamanian Caribbean has focused the spotlight in recent hours. It is a painful manifestation of the reverse migratory flow that has been uncovered after the hardening of the policy towards migrants in the United States, which is reluctant to even listen to asylum requests. Faced with the physical and symbolic wall erected at the border, the rough MAGA discourse, and the drums announcing more persecutions and deportations, many of those who ventured to try their luck at the last minute—that is, just days before Donald Trump's second inauguration as U.S. president—or who had been already in Mexico for months pursuing a CBP One-certified appointment, have embarked on the frustrating journey home.
Instead of a ticket to the Promised Land, they return to the poor South after Republicans slammed the door in their face, killing the so-called “American Dream” for them. They do it as best they can, subject to the same unscrupulous and extractive networks that took them to Aztec land, sometimes crossing the Darién Gap and sometimes the treacherous Caribbean Sea. I guess it is not much fun to cross the jungle when you are going back with your spirits on the ground, so the sea route seems to be the most popular at this time of the year. It is in this surreal context that the shipwreck of a boat carrying Venezuelan and Colombian migrants from Mansucum to the town of La Miel, on the very border with Colombia, took place. Both localities are part of the Guna Yala indigenous region. It is reported that there was a bad weather warning that was ignored by the Panamanian crew of the boat, perhaps pressured by the migrants themselves.
“Twenty people were rescued and the death of an 8-year-old minor of Venezuelan nationality was confirmed,” reported the Panamanian National Border Service quoted by EFE. The Ombudsman's Office urged authorities to “initiate investigations to determine responsibilities” and warned about “the dangers of the maritime route”. The drama of migration here is shameful. It is naturalized. Governments turn a blind eye while migrants are subjected to extortive practices and even more serious dangers that can end in kidnappings, other physical abuses, and death itself. It happened with the south-north migration and everything indicates that the same rationale applies in reverse. The French news agency AFP reported the departure of boats from the town of Carti, with a marked presence again of Venezuelans among the main clients. “What else were we going to do but return (home)? We've been stranded for over 15 days, going round and round from Mexico to (Panama) and scraping together money out of nowhere,” said a Venezuelan migrant.
Un hombre llora al ser rescatado por el Senafront en Guna Yala sobreviviente del naufragio, donde 20 migrantes y panameños salvaron sus vidas y una niña de 8 años de nacionalidad venezolana falleció. pic.twitter.com/1LDYbO7heL
— Grisel Bethancourt (@GriselB) February 22, 2025
From Washington, a compliment 👇.
The United States thanks Panama and Costa Rica for their long term partnership in support of U.S. immigration law and in combatting illegal migration, including their recent support for safely returning third-country nationals to their countries of origin. This cooperation… pic.twitter.com/ugFZAwWiVK
— Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (@WHAAsstSecty) February 22, 2025
But now read this 👇 interesting AP report with a Chinese deportee.
Isolated in 'harsh conditions:' Deportee from US details legal limbo in Panama camp near Darien Gap. By Matías Delacroix & @meganjanetsky https://t.co/KagSlXikBP pic.twitter.com/hGYwnNSFF1
— E. Eduardo Castillo (@EECastilloAP) February 23, 2025
Meanwhile, in Mexico 👇.
Mexican migrant shelters empty despite Trump’s deportation threat https://t.co/5d8EmJjNUf
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 23, 2025
A president surrendered to America
Milei in his (American) prime. He wants to get out of MERCOSUR and bet on a Free Trade Agreement with Washington instead.
SourceDiscurso del Presidente Javier Milei en el CPAC de Washington D.C., 2025. pic.twitter.com/QxjTUzb1i8
— Oficina del Presidente (@OPRArgentina) February 22, 2025
