By Luis De Jesus
22 Sep 2023, 18:03 PM EDT
In the last week there has been talk of the possibility of building a wall in the Darién jungle to block the passage of thousands of migrants who follow this dangerous route every day to reach the United States. But this, although it is not a specific proposal raised by any of the countries impacted by the diaspora, has provoked reactions from the governments, in addition to the Joe Biden administration, of Colombia and Panama. These two, separated by the jungle.
The rumors gained strength when Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on September 18 that the political sectors of the United States asked to “plug the Darién plug” with the construction of “a kind of wall” so that people cannot advance towards North American territory.
“There is a position that is to repress, close borders. In the case of the Darien plug, it is plugging the plug, which is quite difficult; I believe that this position is not effective,” Petro assured in the context of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, which took place in New York.
“What we seek is to effectively reduce the flow of people from all over the world through that plug and produce well-being in their countries of origin. The best way to end the exodus is for there to be prosperity,” said the Colombian president, who insisted on his idea that sanctions on Venezuela, whose number of citizens predominates in the migration figures, should be lifted.
A wall in Darien: what did the US say?
John Kirby, National Security Advisor to the Joe Biden government, reacted to Petro’s statements. He stated, in an interview with Snail Radiowhich is not aware of those requests that political sectors of the United States would have made and assured that they continue to work with partner countries in the region to reduce the flow of migrants moving north from the south.
“I don’t know of any such request made by this government. What I could say is that we continue to work with partners in the region to do what we can do to reduce the flow of migrants from the south to the north, driven by traffickers on these illegal routes. That is why we are working with many countries in the region to develop physical centers where migrants can go and seek legal ways to enter the United States and reduce the risk of making that dangerous trip,” the official said.
“We are looking for all ways to manage this migration and offer a legal path, but again, I am unaware of a request for a wall or any physical barrier, that is not our job, in addition to improving security at our border, President Biden has requested more funds and resources for our Border Patrol, we seek to improve our border, but I do not know of a requirement,” Kirby said.
Crisis in Darien “cannot be avoided” with a wall
Dayra Campos, director of the Office against Human Trafficking in the Ministry of Public Security of Panama, expressed on September 21 that the migration crisis through the Darién jungle will not be solved with a wall. She stated that these are transnational crimes that affect all countries.
“More than a lack of collaboration (between countries) we have to reflect that it is everyone’s problem and that the solution is not in an individual country. The solution will come from these articulated works that will allow us to combat a transnational scourge,” he declared to the press.
More than 385,000 people have crossed the Darien jungle so far this year on their way to the United States and Canada, according to Panamanian authorities.
Keep reading:
• They suspended the operations of the trains that immigrants use in Mexico to reach the border with the United States
• US authorities destroyed the improvised migrant camp on the border with Mexico
• Gustavo Petro estimates that the number of migrants crossing the Darien to the US will reach one million next year