A US military plane carrying 119 non-Panamanian citizens, including migrants from various Asian countries, landed in Panama on Wednesday, as announced by Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino during a news conference on Thursday.
The diverse group of migrants, representing a wide range of nationalities, was brought to Panama as part of a cooperation program with the United States. This initiative was in response to a request made by the Trump administration, Mulino explained.
Among the individuals deported were migrants from China, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. This marked the first deportation flight of non-citizens that Panama has received from the United States.
The arrival of the flight followed a recent visit to Panama by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where discussions were held regarding the utilization of Panama as a transit point for foreign migrants being deported from the US. Mulino and Rubio explored the idea of Panama serving as a 'bridge' for these individuals.
