On Thursday, the U.S. said it was restarting deportations of Venezuelans who cross the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully. Mexico, on Friday, said it was seeking to return migrants to Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. A record of 417,000 migrants have crossed the Darien Gap this year, more than double the number in all of last year. "Crossing the Darien is hell," said Panama President Laurentino Crotizo in a statement, after touring the area via plane with Costa Rica counterpart Rodrigo Chaves. In the last three weeks, more than 27,000 migrants have been "persuaded to get down from trains," INM said.

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Persons: Laurentino Cortizo, Rodrigo Chaves, Lajas, Sherly, Kelvin Romero, Laurentino Crotizo, Ana Cordova, INM, Elida Moreno, Valentine Hilare, Beth Solomon, Stephen Eisenhammer, Sandra Maler Organizations: Costa Rica, REUTERS Acquire, Migration Institute, Ore, Thomson Locations: Panama, Costa, Darien province, U.S, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, Darien, Costa Rica, Venezuelan, Meteti, Mexico City