The Darien gap separates Colombia and Panama and is one of the most dangerous paths hundreds of migrants from Haiti and Venezuela cross. This gap has become one of the most popular routes migrants use to enter the U.S. over the past few years. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, it has no roads and is over 60 miles of dense rainforests, steep mountains, and vast swamps, making it difficult to pass through. Due to the conditions of the Darien Gap, migrants routinely risk their lives in search of work and prosperity in other countries. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, more than half a million migrants faced the trek in 2023, exposing themselves to treacherous terrain, exposure to disease, and violent criminal groups. Due to the many migrants, international aid organizations have set up temporary housing in Panama. However, the Panamanian government is trying to crack down on migrants entering the country. According to the Panamanian government, the number of migrants doubled in 2023 compared to 2022, mainly coming from Venezuela, Ecuador, and Haiti.

The large influx of migrants has strained the local infrastructure, resources, and services and contributed to food and water shortages, as the Council on Foreign Relations reported. Due to the gap’s remote status, there are no police forces other than Panama’a national border service in the area. This makes it difficult to crack down on human trafficking, drug cartels, robbery, and violent crimes that commonly happen in the muddy and humid jungle. The environmental challenges also contribute to the danger of the trip as water can reach high levels and humidity can become unbearable. According to Panama’s Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, more than sixty migrants died trying to cross the gap in the first six months of 2023. Migrants traveling through the Darien Gap typically exit at Bajo Chiquito in Panama. This is the first time they are met with aid and sustainable resources through human rights organizations. While these migrants usually head to the United States, they are registered and biometrically screened by authorities for the first time in Panama.

In April 2023, the U.S. and Panama agreed to work and shut down the Darien Gap. This is an effort to stop the influx of illegal migrants and the U.S. southern border to prevent more crimes and casualties from crossing through the jungle. As the Council on Foreign Relations reported, this past month, Panamanian President Jose Mulino announced that U.S. officials would begin training Panamanian personnel to screen and deport migrants who enter the country illegally. As of July 19th, Panama plans to start deporting migrants who passed through the Darien Gap in the next two to three months through flights paid for by the United States. Roger Mojica, Panama’s chief of migration, said earlier this week, “We are establishing the needs, equipment, and requirements that Panama has to face to start the program, and we are in conversations with the United States.”