Panama: The Panamanian government is concerned about an increase in the number of South American migrants crossing from Colombia through the hostile swamps and jungle of a vast nature preserve. Thousands of Haitians and Chinese people have arrived in the United States this year.
According to official government figures, nearly 50,000 people crossed into Panama through the so-called Darien Gap in the first two months of 2023, more than five times the number recorded at the same time last year.
In 2022, a total of 248,284 migrants were recorded. If the current trend continues, the Panamanian government expects up to 400,000 visitors this year, according to Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney in an interview on Saturday.
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According to the Financial Times, Panama has launched a TikTok campaign to educate potential migrants about the horrors of the Darien, in order to encourage them to take safer routes.
"They don't tell you that you'll be crossing the Darien, which is a hostile jungle," Tewaney explained. "They say, 'It'll take a day to get across, and I'll leave you here.'" There are many people who die."
The minister was also concerned about environmental damage to the nature preserve, which is "the most sacred and most protected ancestral area" for the indigenous peoples of Embera, Guna, and Wounaan.
Tewaney, whose parents immigrated from India, wants "more organised migration" as well as US assistance in addressing the "lack of opportunities" in the countries from which migrants come. One of these is Haiti, which is still in political and social turmoil following the assassination of its president. According to Tewaney, Haitians account for more than one-third of all Darien crossings this year.
In January and February, nearly 2,200 Chinese migrants arrived through the jungle, more than in the entire year of 2022. According to Panamanian officials, they fly into Ecuador, which does not require visas, and then through Colombia.
According to Tewaney, Panama spent $50 million last year sheltering and feeding migrants and is "working closely" with the US to manage the border. However, Colombia is a key US ally in the region, so it is unclear why Washington is not collaborating with Bogota to secure the border.
In fiscal year 2022, nearly 2.4 million people were apprehended at the US-Mexico border. The administration of President Joe Biden has refused to call the situation a crisis, insisting that the border is safe and secure. In March 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris was tasked with addressing the "root causes" of the migration crisis.