After spending a year in a shelter in Panama, the Brazilian girl Liliane has been repatriated with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will stay in a unit of the Institutional Care Service for Children and Adolescents in São Paulo.
Now 2 years and 2 months old, the child crossed the dangerous Darién jungle—a treacherous stretch between Colombia and Panama—with her mother, Sandra Mônica, originally from Angola, who died during the journey. Liliane was then placed in a Panamanian shelter for minors.
After the story was published by Folha, her alleged father, also Angolan, came across the report through relatives living in Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Balduíno Mendes Maka, 38, remains in Luanda and was unaware of his daughter’s whereabouts. He claims that Sandra undertook the perilous land route to reach the U.S. against his wishes. Now, he is searching for a way to reunite with the girl.
His contact with the Ministry has created a new possibility. With a potential close relative of Liliane willing to care for her, the repatriation of the girl, who was born in São Paulo, was made possible.
