(Panama) A record of more than 520,000 migrants, including some 120,000 minors, crossed the inhospitable Darién jungle, between Colombia and Panama, in 2023 on their way to the United States, the Panamanian government announced on Monday .
“The year 2023 ended with 520,085 migrants crossing the Darién jungle, including 120,000 minors,” the Ministry of Public Security said on social media.
Migrants take between three and six days to cross this jungle, 265 kilometers long and covering 575,000 hectares, where they face many dangers, including criminal gangs.
In November, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) indicated that it had treated more than 400 cases of migrant victims of rape, 97% of them women, including a few girls.
According to data from the Ministry of Security, Venezuelans lead the most represented nationalities, with 328,667 people, followed by Ecuadorians (57,222), Haitians (46,558) and Chinese (25,344).
Vietnamese, Afghans and people from African countries are also among these migrants of all ages, including babies a few weeks old, who are trying to reach the United States in the hope of a better life.
In 2022, some 248,000 migrants had transited through Darién, according to official Panama data.
To try to contain this wave of migration, Panamanian authorities announced a series of measures in September, including increasing expulsions of people entering the country illegally.
After crossing this jungle, the migrants cross Panama towards Costa Rica, then continue towards Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico where they reach the border with the United States.