2022 registers a record of migrants through the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama

The head of mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Santiago Paz, predicts that by the end of 2022, at least 200,000 undocumented travelers will have crossed the jungle border between Colombia and Panama, through the passage known as the Darién Gap. , a dreaded jungle that divides the two countries.

“Migration is not going to be able to be stopped. What is important is that it can be managed, and a very good way to do it is by concretizing binational, trinational or regional initiatives for the exchange of data that allow projections and analysis of how it can be done. cooperate,” the expert said.

By 2021, a record number of migrants had already been reached through this border crossing, with 133,726 people, however, this figure was already exceeded last Friday, September 30, according to the IOM.

The figures for 2021 were the same as those of the people who crossed the jungle during the entire previous decade. By September of this year, 48,000 people made the journey, making it the period with the most migrants of the year, despite the rainy season.

The Government of Panama has established Migratory Reception Stations (ERM), located on the border with Colombia and Costa Rica, where they receive food, medical attention and biometric data is taken to have real figures of migrants in transit.

The IOM has “been providing technical cooperation for the management and coordination of shelters. We developed a temporary shelter manual that became State policy (…) with this, the Panamanian State has tools to see how it can design the new ERM complying with international standards and preserving the rights of migrants,” said Paz.

The Central American country has set off all the alarms and has asked for international help to deal with the growing phenomenon. “Once again we have an increase in migration and Panama cannot assume this responsibility alone. We need help and we are going to demand it,” said Panamanian Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes.

A bleak outlook

According to data from the National Border Service (Senafront), last year the majority of migrants were of Haitian nationality, however, this year Venezuelans have been the ones who have crossed the border the most, reaching some 80,000 citizens of that nationality to date. last week.

Ecuadorians, Cubans, African and Asian citizens also try to travel mainly to the United States to seek “protected status and thus settle there longer,” said the IOM chief of mission.

“While many of the Venezuelans who cross this dangerous route had previously been living in other South American countries, a growing number are now leaving Venezuela directly,” said Giuseppe Loprete, IOM Panama chief.

According to the revealed data, entire families, including children and babies, try to pass the dangerous crossing and many come from second or third countries in which they had previously tried to settle.

The Darién region is a 266-kilometer jungle and swampy area, which registers the highest levels of rainfall in the world, but despite this, migrants prefer to risk their lives.

The dangers migrants face

In addition to the difficult natural conditions, different armed groups are located throughout the region, registering cases of sexual violence and assaults. Last week, the case of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in the middle of an assault became known.

Many others die by drowning in the rivers, by accidents during long walks and even by the attack of animals that live in the thick jungle, such as poisonous snakes, pumas, tigrillos and alligators. According to Senafront, at least 26 migrants have died in the Darién so far this year.

The Ombudsmen of Panama, Eduardo Leblanc, and that of Colombia, Carlos Camargo, said on Saturday that the Darién Gap “is a deadly trap” and asked the authorities for better security conditions on both sides of the borders.

According to the Panamanian authorities, more border agents are guarding the area to provide better security and humanitarian attention to travelers.

Waiting for humanitarian aid

Last week, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, said that his priority in immigration matters is to stop the arrival of migrants from Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

In the same way, he assured that “it is not rational” to deport them to their countries, because they are not considered democracies, for which he reported that they are working with other governments to design plans that allow stopping the flow of arrivals at the United States border.

For this reason, the US government announced a new humanitarian aid package of 200 million dollars in order to contain the migration crisis.

with EFE