The United States and El Salvador are in the final stages of negotiating a significant agreement on migration, as confirmed by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday. The announcement was made during the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the Central American country.
Bukele described the impending agreement as unprecedented in the history of relations between the two countries, as well as within the broader context of Latin America. When asked about the possibility of reaching a 'third safe country' deal, which would require migrants passing through a designated country to seek asylum there rather than continuing to the US, Bukele indicated that the negotiations were nearing completion.
He expressed confidence in the progress of the discussions, stating that the details of the agreement would be officially announced by Rubio at a later time. Bukele emphasized that this new deal would surpass a previous migration agreement signed in 2019, which allowed the US to return certain asylum seekers to El Salvador if they had not applied for asylum while passing through the country.
The potential implications of this forthcoming agreement could have far-reaching effects on the handling of migration flows in the region. The collaboration between the US and El Salvador in addressing migration challenges underscores the importance of bilateral cooperation in addressing complex issues that impact both countries.
