Stranded on the sandy shores of Miramar, Venezuelan Luis Montilla waits with a group of fellow migrants, yearning to pay for a boat ride home after being denied entry to the United States. They sleep under the stars, shunning the confines of crowded shelters, with Montilla stating firmly, “We are not animals.” These hopefuls, having traversed Central America on foot, now await funds from relatives to cover the steep $260 fee charged by boatmen to return to Colombia or find alternative routes.
The precarious journey speaks volumes of the hardships faced by those like Montilla, who have left their homes in search of asylum. With the tightening of immigration policies under President Trump, many have faced hurdles like the elimination of the CBP One application essential for asylum requests. Diego Chaves from the Migration Policy Institute notes that this reverse migration isn’t voluntary but a consequence of an ongoing crisis that has left many in limbo—a situation they did not choose.
Many migrants, including 19-year-old Víctor Díaz, express a deep reluctance to accept the newly announced plan by Costa Rica and Panama that mandates they travel by bus to remote shelters near the border. “They keep you there as if you were a criminal; you’re imprisoned,” he laments, preferring the risks of treacherous seas over being penned in. For many, the journey back home means sleeping on discarded cardboard and relying on charity for meals.
Jinnelis Navas, who recently arrived in Miramar with ten relatives, recalls their harrowing stay at a shelter in Mexico where they were treated “like dogs.” This distress has led them to avoid approaching Costa Rican and Panamanian authorities, as refugees coming from Nicaragua are pushed into long, tedious bus rides to isolated centres like Catem in Costa Rica. From there, they are transported further south to Lajas Blancas and San Vicente refugee centres in Panama, without clarity on their futures.
Lawyer Gabriela Oviedo from CEJIL harshly condemns the conditions, stating that these facilities essentially function as detention centres guarded by police, where migrants live in barracks under stringent controls with little access to legal representation. She advocates against inhumane treatment, especially for children, emphasizing the need for legal protection for these vulnerable groups.
February alone saw over 2,200 migrants registered in a reverse flow to Panama, a grim testament to their vulnerability and mounting debts incurred just for the chance to return. Chaves warns that this situation may signal merely the beginning of a new and precarious chapter in their lives, necessitating urgent regional strategies to aid those ensnared in cycles of forced mobility.
While many migrants express a desire for informal work to support their ongoing journeys, officials seem to prefer keeping them in controlled environments. Montilla’s plea echoes through the dunes, yearning for a way to push forward, this time heading south rather than north.
Human rights groups have condemned the conditions in migrant shelters in Costa Rica and Panama, where many Venezuelans like Luis Montilla prefer living outside than in confined spaces. They are struggling with reverse migration after failed attempts to enter the United States, facing harsh realities and a lack of support. Critics argue that these shelters operate like detention centres, restricting movement and lacking legal protection for migrants, especially children. A pressing need for regional strategies to assist these vulnerable groups is evident as they seek new paths forward.
The plight of stranded migrants, notably Venezuelans, highlights the dire implications of reversed migration flows and the inadequacies of the current asylum processes in Costa Rica and Panama. The urgent call for humane treatment, accompanied by proper legal avenues and support systems, remains paramount, as many face not only the challenges of returning home but a future clouded with uncertainty. Understanding and addressing these systemic deficiencies is crucial to aiding those caught in this ongoing crisis.
Original Source: ticotimes.net
