Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

Panama, Colombia step up border security

Panama, Colombia step up border security | iNFOnews.ca
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos, left, walks with Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela as they arrive to Nicanor Air Naval base in Darien province, Panama, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Santos and Varela are meeting to discuss security and immigration. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)

PANAMA CITY – The presidents of Panama and Colombia have signed agreements to increase security along their porous border, which is used by migrants and drug traffickers.

President Juan Carlos Varela of Panama met with Colombia’s Juan Manuel Santos in the jungle-clad southern province of Darien Tuesday.

The two presidents said the flow of migrants has tapered off since thousands of Cubans, Haitians and others streamed north earlier in the year.

Santos said “not long ago, this border was a no-man’s land.”

Official figures estimate about 15,000 migrants entered Panama through Colombia so far this year. Traffickers also seek to ship drugs across the border.

The two countries agreed to establish two more joint security bases on the border, in addition to the two already operating.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles