Panama: Record number of migrants cross deadly Darien's Gap

The number of migrants crossing the treacherous Darien Gap — a jungle region linking Panama and Colombia — has hit a record high of 402,300 people in the year to September, official data released by Panama showed.

That is 62% more than the number of people who accessed it in all of 2022.

The United Nations, in April, had estimated that the total number of crossings through the Darien Gap for the entire year would be 400,000.

What is the Darien Gap?

Once thought to be nearly impossible to pass through, the 165-mile (265-kilometer) Darien Gap is full of wild animals, rivers and criminal gangs who demand money to guide people through the jungle.

Most migrants crossing it aim to get through Panama into Costa Rica and eventually to Mexico, before crossing into the US.

What do we know about the migrants?

An estimated 4,000 migrants have been crossing the perilous stretch each day.

Most of the migrants come from Venezuela, as well as Ecuador and Haiti, and several others, Panama's security ministry said on Thursday.

The majority of those attempting the crossing were doing so with children and babies in their parties, Panama's Public Security Minister Juan Pino said in a statement on Thursday. He added that September alone saw an increase over August, with the number of people crossing increasing by a fifth.

The flow is so great that Panama has set up aid centers for migrants in different parts of the country. Even then, Panama is overwhelmed, Pino said.

"We are making a superhuman effort," he said.

It is not clear how many migrants die trying to cross this region. 

Policies to control the borders

Earlier this month, Panama announced measures to stem the increasing number of migrants. Part of this policy is to deport more people with criminal records and decrease the number of days tourists are allowed to stay in the country.

The measures came after a two-month program launched by the US, Panama and Colombia in April to tackle undocumented immigration.

Costa Rica, another transit country north of Panama, declared a state of emergency earlier this week.

"We all know that there is a migration crisis throughout the entire American continent. We are fundamentally a country of passage for migrants, people who come, who pass through Costa Rica largely trying to reach the United States," Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves said.

In May, the US rolled out a new policy to dissuade illegal crossing. It involves deporting migrants and banning re-entry for five years.

While the policies initially led to a 70% drop in border crossings, the number of migrants arriving at the US border with Mexico has begun to increase once more.

Meanwhile, the UN's Deputy Director of Operations for the International Organization for Migration acknowledged the need for international coordination on the record levels of migration, in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday.

Speaking about the lack of funds to tackle the humanitarian needs, Ugochi Daniels said, "obviously, it's not an issue that can be solved by any one country."

"The unprecedented flows in the region require attention — international attention." 

mk/ab (Reuters, AFP, AP)