The Darien Gap is a 60-mile stretch of uncrossable wilderness connecting Panama and Columbia. For migThe Darien Gap is a 60-mile stretch of uncrossable wilderness connecting Panama and Colombia. For migrants seeking a fresh start in the United States of America, it has turned into a lethal crossing point. For many migrants, crossing the Darien Gap is life or death; as part of their journey to the United States, migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Africa, and Central America must go through this rainforest. Most flee due to natural disasters, economic challenges, or conflict in their homeland.
Darien Gap is among the wettest places on earth due to frequent rains and landslides, which are also regional problems. The temperature in the region reaches 35 degrees Celsius, and there is constant hunger and thirst along with exceptionally high humidity. It is among the world’s most hostile and unfriendly areas. There is no proper road or infrastructure that connects Panama and Colombia. Wild creatures like crocodiles, jaguars, and poisonous snakes can be found in the rainforest, making the journey hard for children and women, especially pregnant women.
Almost 520,000 migrants illegally crossed the Darien Gap in 2023 on their way to the United States, which includes children mainly from Pakistan and Bangladesh.
With very little food and supplies, these migrants typically begin the journey on foot, starting in Colombia, and proceed to cities like Turbo and Necocli, which are close to the Caribbean coast. Usually, the migrants are transported to the Darien Gap by tourist boats. The migrants find it extremely challenging to navigate the terrain because they must go through swift-moving rivers, high mountains, and dense underbrush. There is relatively little sunshine due to the thick canopy of the jungle. Additionally, diseases like cholera, dengue, and malaria are prevalent in the region; due to lack of health facilities, migrants may also die during their journey.
One of the most unsettling aspects of the trip is the existence of criminal organisations and human traffickers. Smugglers, the Paramilitary Gulf Clan, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia populate the region. In a lawless area, such circumstances frequently expose the refugees to exploitation. During the voyage, women and children are commonly abducted and subjected to sexual assault. As the path through which the migrants are travelling is dangerous, many children lose their parents in the jungle.
The jungles of the Darien Gap are always dangerous, whether from snake bites, starvation, or thirst. According to the Panamanian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, in the first half of 2023, over sixty migrants lost their lives while attempting to cross the 339-kilometer border between Colombia and Panama. The migrants are unable to return home despite all these difficulties.
The number of migrants has significantly increased in recent years. The Panamanian government’s official reports state that 250,000 migrants travelled through Panama in 2022, a considerable rise over prior years. Numerous factors, such as the economic crisis in Venezuela and the prevalence of gang violence in some regions of Central America, are contributing to the spike. Asian migrants are also using the Darien Gap to enter the US. Due to its limited resources, Panama has been pressured to assist the migrants. Humanitarian organisations and Panama’s border security have attempted to help and support the migrants.
Safe mobility offices are set up in countries like Colombia to discourage migrants from crossing the Darien Gap. The migrants would have to find another way to enter the United States if policies like building a border wall and increasing deportations were implemented. To cut down on crossings, the Panamanian government erected barbed-wire fencing in the forests in July 2024. The United States and Panama Colombia have collaborated more due to the migrant issues.
Colombia and the United States governments can collaborate with humanitarian organisations to provide necessities like food, water, shelter and medical care to migrants. It could also get rid of the human traffickers and provide legal frameworks to protect the migrants.
Crossing the Darien Gap shows how much the migrants struggle to find a better livelihood. While there is no denying the risks, survivors’ tales are frequently ones of fortitude, bravery, and optimism. The predicament of these refugees forces us to consider more general concerns about human rights, global inequity, and the need for a more humane and efficient response to migratory emergencies. The terrible and perilous journey across the Darien Gap will continue to claim lives and reveal the harsh realities faced by millions of people worldwide unless the underlying causes of migration are addressed.
