Migration through the Darien Gap resumed after being halted for five days following the arrest of two boat captains who took hundreds of people to the entrance of the perilous jungle, The New York Times reported.
The captains were arrested by Colombian law enforcement and accused of transporting people illegally, partly because migrants didn't carry proper documentation. However, the claim seems to be largely symbolical, as the companies have been transporting migrants openly during the past years.
The outlet said it could actually signal a policy shift by Colombian authorities, as the Biden administration has been pressuring its Colombian counterpart to stem migratory flows through the Darien Gap, which has become a key pathway for many seeking to make it to the United States.
The Colombian boat companies halted transportation as retaliation for the detention, causing the amount of people waiting in the coastal towns of Necoclí and Turbo to surge in a matter of days, putting a large strain on them as they are uncapable of dealing with thousands of people at a time.
The companies resumed their activities following a meeting with local authorities, as well as the Colombian national migration office and other agencies, including someone from the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, the outlet added. Authorities assured that migrants would be able to pass as long as they completed a form on their phones called Secure Transit.
The amount of migrants who have made their way through treacherous jungle path connecting Colombia and Panama had seen an inter-annual increase of almost 50% by the end of February, according to Panamanian authorities.
Concretely, the figure amounted to some 68,400 people by February 26, a difference of over 22,000 compared to the same period of last year, said Panamanian Security Minister Juan Manuel Pino in a social media post.
The Central American country estimates that the path will see a 20% increase in crossings this year. The amount of people taking this perilous journey has grown exponentially, reaching some 520,000 people last year, more than double compared to 2022. Around a quarter of the total were minors, said Samira Gozaine, a Panamanian official.
Most of those braving the crossing, which can take up to six days, were fleeing economic misery in Venezuela, with more than 320,000 risking it all in the jungle in 2023, the government said. Ecuadorans and Haitians were the next biggest groups, while over 25,000 Chinese citizens also took on the trek. Vietnamese, Afghans and citizens of Cameroon or Burkina Faso were also recorded.
Migrants face rivers, wild animals, and violent criminal gangs in the jungle. Upon arrival in Panama, they head to Costa Rica, and then Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, before many make their way to the United States border.
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