Sale of Airline Tickets to Mexico Begins for Cuban Migrants Stranded In Panama

Sale of Airline Tickets to Mexico Begins for Cuban Migrants Stranded In
Panama / 14ymedio, Mario Penton

14ymedio, Mario Penton, Miami, 5 May 2016 — Panama began selling airline
tickets, on Thursday, to Mexico for Cuban migrants who find themselves
stranded in the country. Tickets cost $805 and the first to benefit from
the measure will be those staying at the Millennium Hotel, in the
province of Chiriqui, according to a high ranking official who spoke to
this newspaper and asked not to be identified.

Starting this coming Monday, two daily flights will connect to Nuevo
Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, operated by Copa and
Aereomexico airlines. Along with the cost of the airfare, to qualify for
a Mexican visa the mirgrants will also have to pay 34 dollars for the
journey by bus to the Panamanian airport and the trip to the border
between Mexico and United States. The airline will offer a differential
rate for children between age 2 to 11, of $322, while children one year
and under will fly for $160.

So far, nobody knows if the Cubans who have recently arrived in Panama
and who are not on the official lists of migrants will be part of the
agreement with Mexico.

A Cuban who came to the immigration offices in the city of David, about
30 miles from the border with Costa Rica, told 14ymedio that some days
ago migrants began to receive money through Western Union and MoneyGram
to buy their tickets.

"Regardless of the high cost per ticket, we have been asked for a
medical checkup, three ID format photos and a photocopy of our
passports," said the migrant, who asked not to divulge his name.

Many of the stranded are worried about not having enough money to pay
the cost of the airline tickets.

Panamanian official institutions claim not to have a report on the costs
entailed for the nearly 3,500 Cubans who find themselves stranded in
their territory. However, the local press reported on Thursday that
about $19,000, just from the Presidency's discretionary funds, have been
destined to the immigration crisis in the first three months of this year.

Translated by Alberto

Source: Sale of Airline Tickets to Mexico Begins for Cuban Migrants
Stranded In Panama / 14ymedio, Mario Penton – Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/sale-of-airline-tickets-to-mexico-begins-for-cuban-migrants-stranded-in-panama-14ymedio-mario-penton/