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In the mountainous jungles between Colombia and Panama, “Special Envoy” followed migrants trying to reach the United States. A dangerous and trying journey, which costs each 350 dollars paid to a cartel of Colombian drug traffickers.
It’s anything but a trip, despite the spectacular scenery. In the mountainous jungles between Colombia and Panama, “Special Envoy” followed migrants trying to reach the United States from South America. For days, these people from Venezuela, Haiti or Africa face the dangers on foot to cross the “Darién Gap”, or “Darién plug”, 100 kilometers of extremely dangerous jungle where many lose their lives.
“There will be no help… It’s do or die”
“If we break a leg, if we have a fracture, it’s over. There won’t be any help, we’ll stay at the Darien. It’s do or die. But for us, the worst thing would be to stay where we come from“, declares one of them, Manuel. He flees Ecuador and the gang who wanted to recruit him: “They attacked my house and shot my wife who was pregnant. I was not there“, he says.
To make this grueling journey, they paid 350 dollars per person to a cartel of Colombian drug traffickers. Once past this dense jungle, they will still have several countries to cross, over 3,000 kilometers, before crossing the United States border: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. “I dream of going for a ride, then I want to see the beach“, testifies Precious, 8 years old, from Congo.
A report by Loïc de La Mornais, Thomas Donzel, Keely Sullivan Den Bergh and Carlos Villalon broadcast in “Special Envoy” on April 6, 2023.
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