MINISTER ABREGO: (In progress) (Via interpreter) people, seven of them with criminal records, and the rest for having violated migratory rules of Panama. We continue developing a memorandum of understanding (inaudible) the union we have the United States, and we continue under our strategic alliance of maintaining control of our border. Many thanks.
MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Many thanks, Mr. Minister. Now we will hear words from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
SECRETARY RUBIO: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much for sharing this with us today. This is evidence of the great partnership that exists between the U.S. and Panama, a country that is a friend, a brother, that we have many ties with and a great deal cooperation. What's happened in this hemisphere with mass migration is quite unfortunate. It's a tragedy, and we have people who - as part of this process - in many cases people are victims or have been victimized through this irregular path that has created issues for many countries in the region. We also understand from the United States that most people who come in here have as a goal eventually making it to the United States, so you could say that at a certain point our border doesn't begin at Texas or Mexico; it begins a lot farther down. And what we can do is create incentives so people don't make that trip.
We've seen a cooperation program today that helps to prevent people with criminal histories, and in this case, in this group, there were six or seven people with criminal histories - so the idea is to prevent them from going forward and creating problems in Panama, but other countries as well. And that would be impossible without the cooperation of the United States with the government of our friends here in Panama. We have worked very hard together, and we will continue to do so as a part of very many things where we do have strong cooperation with our friends and partners in the Panamanian Government.
(In English) Briefly, the mass migration is one of the great tragedies of the modern era. It impacts countries throughout the route. We recognize that many of the people who seek mass migration are often victims - victimized along the way. It's not good for anyone. The only people who benefit from mass migration are traffickers. And so this is a program that shows how cooperating with our strong allies here in Panama can help to stem the flow by creating a disincentive, by sending a clear message that if you come and you come irregularly, you may be stopped and you may be returned to your country of origin. And it can be done in a regular and dignified but effective way. And we've seen it in the number; the numbers have dramatically declined.
This program is - and what you saw here today was possible due to a partnership between the United States and our friends here in Panama. And part of it is taxpayer dollars at work through the State Department and through the programs we provide. This program was - this flight today was possible due to a waiver that we've issued, and then we're going to issue a broader one to continue this cooperation. This is an example of the kind of program at the State Department that helps make America stronger and safer and more prosperous, and also strengthens the work of our willing allies like we find here in Panama. It's an effective program - one that works. In this flight alone, there were at least six or seven people with criminal records - many of whom were seeking to continue forward. And it destabilizes all the countries along the route and along the way, and ultimately if they reach the southern border of the United States and enter the United States it creates serious problems for us.
This is an effective way to stem the flow of illegal migration, of mass migration - which is destructive and destabilizing - and it would've been impossible to do without the strong partnership we have here with our friends and allies in Panama. And we're going to continue to do it, and we're grateful for it. Thank you.
