Record number of migrants crossed Panama’s jungle in 2023 en route to U.S.

Over 248,000 migrants have journeyed through Panama’s Darien Jungle, a wilderness region bordering Colombia, in 2023, surpassing the total number from 2022, regardless of the perils they face en route to the United States.

From January 1 to July 30, a total of 248,901 migrants have traversed the Panamanian jungle from Colombia, marking a record number, as shared by Maria Isabel Saravia, Panama’s National Deputy Director of Immigration.

The number of arrivals this year alone has increased by 617 compared to the total of 2022.

Of the total, Venezuelans make up the majority with around 137,000 individuals, followed by Ecuadorians and Haitians, each group numbering over 34,000.

Also notable is the migration of Chinese and Cameroonians from Asia and Africa respectively.

Approximately 21% of the migrants are children and adolescents, half of whom are five years or younger.

The Darien, a natural border with a length of 266 km and an area of 575,000 hectares, has become a corridor for migrants from South America seeking to reach the US through Central America, despite risks such as dangerous wildlife, treacherous rivers, and criminal organizations.

These migrants often arrive injured, dehydrated, in shock, with severe allergic reactions, and complications from pregnancies or chronic illnesses that may worsen on their journey.

Despite this, the US has warned that it will not admit anyone who enters Panama irregularly.

Panama’s Security Minister, Juan Manuel Pino, recently warned that if the current trend continues, the number of migrants crossing the Darien in 2023 could reach 400,000.

The migrant count through the Panamanian jungle has surged in recent years, rising from 133,000 in 2021 to 248,000 in the first seven months of 2023.

However, the exact number of migrants who perish during the journey remains unknown due to the challenging terrain, lack of reports, and the abandonment of bodies.

In 2022, at least 52 individuals died in the jungle, a figure suspected to be an underestimate.

To manage the situation, the Panamanian government, in collaboration with international organizations, has established multiple centers across the country offering basic aid to migrants.

However, this aid is insufficient given the demand.

The International Red Cross Committee has also provided Panama with burial spaces for migrants, a response to overwhelmed morgues.

Migration to North America is driven by factors like violence, insecurity, poverty, political crises, and increasingly, climate change in the countries of origin.