The government ofPanama announced that starting this Monday, September 11, the money that travelers must present at the entry points to their territory will increase to justifyeconomic solvency and the number of days the visitor can stay in the Central American nation is also reduced.
Samira Gozaine, director of Immigration, reported that foreign citizens they have to show1,000 dollars as financial solvency (500 more than before)and alsoThey will only be able to stay 15 days in Panama, a drastic reduction in relation to the 90 days that were allowed until now.
Not all tourists will be subject to the regulations, although it is not yet known which travelers of which nationalities are affected by the new measures.
“The period of stay will vary according to the profile of the tourist, determined after an interview with immigration agents”Gozaine pointed out.
The main objective of the new measures is to stop the flow of illegal migrants who cross Panama on their way to the United States, declared by that Central American nation as a national security problem.
Between January and August 2023, some 352,000 migrants entered Panama irregularly en route to the north of the continent. About 2,500 people cross on average from Colombia to Panama every day along the dangerous route of theDarien Jungle.
That route registered 79 thousand illegal migrants in August, a situation that has cost the Central American nation's treasury an estimated 70 million dollars.
Furthermore, the so-called "Darién corridor" has been under the control of groups outside the law, such as theGulf Clan, dedicated to human trafficking and charging travelers to allow them passage.
On the other hand, many extra-continental migrants, linked to organized crime, use formal entry points in Panama using false documentation, which will tighten controls in that regard. For example, deportations will intensify, especially of migrants with criminal records.
In addition, the government plans to build infrastructure near communities affected by irregular migration. Some, with populations of 200 residents, have been overwhelmed by the daily arrival of between 3,000 and 4,000 migrants.
In 2022, a total of 5,961 Cuban migrants passed through the also called Darién Gap.
At the end of 2022, Cuba was in fourth place among the countries with the highest number of migrants crossing that jungle, surpassed by Venezuela (150,327 migrants); Ecuador (29,356); and Haiti (22,435).
However, the figures for 2022 and so far in 2023 show a decreasing trend in regards to the number of Cuban migrants choosing that route.
Since December 2021, the flow of Cubans through the jungle began to decrease after the government ofNicaragua established visa-free status for Cuban citizens a month earlier.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled in:
