Panama installs barbed wire at Darién Gap amid migrant surge

[LAUREN TAYLOR]
LAST WEEK WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE US AND PANAMA SIGNING A SIGNIFICANT AGREEMENT AIMED AT MANAGING MIGRATION THROUGH THE DARIÉN GAP. NEWLY INAUGURATED PRESIDENT JOSÉ RAÚL MULINO HAS COMMITTED TO CLOSING THIS DANGEROUS JUNGLE CORRIDOR, A MAJOR PATHWAY FOR MIGRANTS HEADING TO THE U.S.

THIS MOVE IS PART OF A LARGER EFFORT TO ENHANCE BORDER SECURITY AND SHUT DOWN THE GAP, AS THE U.S. FINANCES THE REPATRIATION OF MIGRANTS WHO ENTER PANAMA ILLEGALLY.

NOW — PANAMA IS TAKING ACTION — OFFICIALS ARE INSTALLING BARBED WIRE BARRIERS ALONG THE DARIÉN GAP TO DETER U.S.-BOUND MIGRANTS.

DESPITE NEW BARBED WIRE BARRIERS ALONG THE DARIÉN GAP, MANY MIGRANTS CONTINUE THEIR PERILOUS JOURNEY. RECENT VIDEOS AND COMMUNICATIONS FROM SMUGGLERS INDICATE THAT TRADITIONAL ROUTES ARE STILL IN USE, WITH FOOTAGE SHOWING MIGRANTS BYPASSING THE BARRIERS, INCLUDING CRAWLING THROUGH TUNNELS BENEATH THE FENCES.

RECOGNIZING THESE CHALLENGES, THE PANAMANIAN GOVERNMENT HAS MAINTAINED ONE OFFICIAL CROSSING POINT WHERE MIGRANTS MUST SHOW IDENTIFICATION. THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY, WHICH OVERSEES THE BARRIERS, EMPHASIZES THAT THESE MEASURES ARE PART OF A BROADER EFFORT TO MANAGE MIGRATION FLOWS AND COMBAT ORGANIZED CRIME.

CRITICS LIKE COLOMBIA’S PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO ARGUE THAT SUCH MEASURES WON’T SOLVE THE ROOT CAUSES OF MIGRATION, SUCH AS ECONOMIC DISPARITIES, AND WARN THAT THEY MIGHT LEAD MIGRANTS TO OPT FOR EVEN MORE PERILOUS ROUTES, INCREASING THE RISK OF HARM OR DEATH, ADDING:

PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO
COLOMBIA
“The barbed wires in the jungle will only bring drowned people into the sea. Migration is stopped by removing economic blockades and improving the economy of the south.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]
ACCORDING TO PANAMA’S LATEST FIGURES, MORE THAT 174-THOUSAND MIGRANTS CROSSED THE DARIEN GAP IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 2024.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR

FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT US AT SAN – DOT – COM.