By The Diary
Aug 25, 2024, 3:47 PM EDT
So far this year, more than 230,000 irregular migrants have crossed the dangerous Darien jungle, which connects Panama with Colombia. According to the Ministry of Public Security of Panama, the majority of these migrants are Venezuelan nationals, representing 66% of the total.
The data, released Sunday, show that 153,226 Venezuelans have crossed the jungle from January 1 to August 25. They are followed in number by Colombian and Ecuadorian migrants, with 14,659 and 14,569 people, respectively.
In addition, there has been a notable increase in migrants from China and Haiti, who represent 5.2% and 4.8% of the total, respectively. A total of 12,067 Chinese and 11,224 Haitians have crossed the Darien River so far this year, while another 25,330 migrants belong to various nationalities not specified in the report.
During the journey, 133 minors have crossed the border without an adult, and 42 people have lost their lives in the dangerous jungle, known for its extreme conditions and the presence of criminal groups.
Panamanian authorities have said that the Darien jungle is largely controlled by the Clan del Golfo, a Colombian criminal group that has been accused by authorities in both countries of being responsible for the assaults, rapes and other crimes faced by migrants during their passage through the region.
The flow is reduced
The flow of migrants has experienced a notable reduction in the last two months, coinciding with the implementation of measures to control and channel their passage. According to statistics, in January 36,001 people crossed the jungle, while in July the number dropped to 20,519, and to date, in August, 9,497 crossings have been recorded.
This drop is due, in part, to the actions of the Panamanian government, which has fenced off trails in the jungle and has launched a joint plan with the United States to repatriate migrants who enter its territory illegally.
Since July 1, the Government of Panama has carried out three deportation flights for migrants who have crossed the Darien jungle.
The first return flight took place on August 7, followed by another on August 20, and the most recent on August 24. The August 20 flight was funded by the United States, as part of the bilateral agreement signed in early July.
The next deportation flight is expected to take place on August 29 to Ecuador, followed by another to Colombia on August 30, and one to India on September 3.
With information from EFE.
Continue reading:
• When will flights from the US begin to return migrants crossing Darien?
• 13 people arrested in Panama for trafficking Chinese migrants through Darien
• First US-funded migrant return flight leaves Panama