Trafficking by travel agents! LatAm Nations ‘Visa on arrival’ facility on way out?

Is the “Visa on arrival” facility going to be abolished by the Ecuador? Well, this decision may be in the pipeline for a period of about 90 days. Reports are confirming that there has been an increase in visitors staying on in the countries beyond the stipulated time span, and the illegal migration cases have also shot up.

Indian travelers are known to head off to South America because of the instant ‘visa on arrival” option but recent reports of the increasing incidents of human trafficking are becoming concerning. Poor girls and boys from South and North of India are being taken abroad to areas like Ecuador, by unscrupulous travel agents. The travel becomes possible because of the convenience of the visa on arrival facility. Mostly Quito is the chosen transit route to US, and plenty of Indians especially Punjabis are towing the line of the cheating travel agents.

Punjabi youths are shelling out nearly Rs 50 lakhs to reach the US or Canada and they end up paying the agents this amount but they never reach the destination. They land up in countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, and Bolivia and from here they start their tryst to enter US or Canada, in an illegal manner.

In the first part of the year, nearly 22-24 Punjabi youths met their end near the Panama because their boat capsized when they were sailing from Colombian port town of Turbo to the US. The agents belong to Kapurthala district and now they have come under the scanner of the Punjab government.

An Indian Diplomat has stated “Unless effective action is taken against Indian agents, illegal activities will continue unabated from North and South India.” After the ministry of external affairs and the ministry of overseas affairs has seen a merger, the Indian missions in places like Uruguay, Mexico, Ecudaor, Panama, Chile, Argentina, and Colombia, have become careful and are now going to take a strict action against human trafficking.

Is it true that the “visa on arrival” facility may be withdrawn for 90 days? Ambassador of Ecuador in India, Mentor  Villagomez, has denied it saying  “Ecuador requires no visa for Indian citizens going for tourism purposes. However, for business and studies, visa is required. There is no guarantee for any jobs for any outsider.” The major point of human trafficking has been found to be El Dorado airport in Bogota and it’s from here that the youth are taken to Canada, Europe and US, stated reports.

Talking about the case of the Indians who are going to Ecuador , he said  “We will deport any person who tries entering Quito illegally and it should be known that visa for no other country is issued from Ecuador.” The Human trafficking is concerning as the innocent youth start on an unknown path to make a better living. They end up at the Ecuador with no respite or help and are stranded because of the agents who find clients online and through Quickr etc.