Migrant crossings through Darien Gap fall by 35% due to increased security measures

Migrant crossings through the treacherous Darien Gap, connecting Panama and Columbia have dropped by 35% in the first nine months of 2024. This information is as per Panama Border Security Officials. As per them, the new government has imposed more stricter rules and regulations regarding security measures bringing a positive change in the rate of influx of migrants.

From January 2024 to Sept 25, 259712 migrants arrived in Panama via the Darien, a reduction of more than one third (35 percent to be exact), compared to the same timeframe of last year that is 2023. The information has been shared by Alexis de Gracia, head of National Border Service, Eastern Brigade, Panama. 

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Panamanian authorities credit the decrease of migrant influx to the stricter border policies implemented by President Jose Paul Mulino’s administration after he took office on July 1, 2024. The measures implemented include closure of certain jungle routes and increase in deportations with backing from the USA.

Panama has become a transit hotspot for hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing to go to the United States of America illegally. In 2023 a record 520000 migrants comprising primarily Venezuelans crossed over the dense forests of the Darien Gap in order to seek better lifestyle opportunities in the North American countries.

The data arrived 4 months after US president Joe Biden enforced a strong asylum ban for numerous migrants who have crossed the US Mexican border illegally to seek refuge in the States.

20519 migrants navigated the Darien Gap in July during the first month of President Mulino’s administration, marking a 34% dip from June and over half from July last year. In August 2024, another 19 percent reduction in the number of crossings were recorded from that of July and was fivefold less than that of the same month in 2023.