KenH
Well-Known Member
"The Darién Gap, the treacherous stretch of roadless jungle that stands between South America and Central America, is once again experiencing a rise in the number of crossings.
Despite a U.S.-backed deal with Colombia and Panama to "end the illicit movement" along this route, numbers of migrants traversing the jungle's trails have spiked to an all-time high. In the first nine months of this year, 400,000 migrants have crossed the Darién on their way to the United States, Panamanian officials recently said, a sharp increase from the nearly 250,000 who made the journey in all of 2022.
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According to Panama's National Immigration Department, 130,000 people — mostly Cubans and Haitians — crossed the Darién in 2021. The number of crossings jumped to 248,000 in 2022, after it became harder for Venezuelans and Ecuadorians to skip the Darién jungle by taking flights to Mexico.
Pappier said that if safer routes are not found for migrants and refugees from South America, the number of people crossing the Darién will continue to rise.
"The situation in Venezuela continues to be dire. The situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate day by day. And the violence and crime in Ecuador is forcing many people to leave that country," Pappier said."
- rest at Record 400K U.S.-bound migrants trek through dangerous Darién jungle this year : NPR
Despite a U.S.-backed deal with Colombia and Panama to "end the illicit movement" along this route, numbers of migrants traversing the jungle's trails have spiked to an all-time high. In the first nine months of this year, 400,000 migrants have crossed the Darién on their way to the United States, Panamanian officials recently said, a sharp increase from the nearly 250,000 who made the journey in all of 2022.
...
According to Panama's National Immigration Department, 130,000 people — mostly Cubans and Haitians — crossed the Darién in 2021. The number of crossings jumped to 248,000 in 2022, after it became harder for Venezuelans and Ecuadorians to skip the Darién jungle by taking flights to Mexico.
Pappier said that if safer routes are not found for migrants and refugees from South America, the number of people crossing the Darién will continue to rise.
"The situation in Venezuela continues to be dire. The situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate day by day. And the violence and crime in Ecuador is forcing many people to leave that country," Pappier said."
- rest at Record 400K U.S.-bound migrants trek through dangerous Darién jungle this year : NPR