Migration - Ten migrants drowned on their way to the USA in Panama
In the difficult migration route through the Darién Jungle in the south of Panama, ten people were carried away by a rushing river. Their bodies were reportedly spotted near the community Carreto on the Caribbean coast of the Middle American country, according to the national border authority. The prosecutor's office is investigating.
Numerous people from South America, the Caribbean, and other regions of the world are making the dangerous journey between South and Middle America, primarily with the goal of reaching the USA. The US border is thousands of kilometers to the north. Roughly 520,000 adults and children used this route last year.
Barbed wire fence against irregular border crossings
The new Panamanian President José Raúl Molina, who took office on July 1st, had 4.7 kilometers of barbed wire installed at the southern border to close six irregular passages and leave only one secure corridor open. The government aims to reduce migration numbers and better combat smuggler bands.
Despite the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, international gangs continue to attempt to smuggle migrants through the irregular border crossings, according to the border authority's statement regarding the drowned migrants.
Agreement with the USA signed
Molino's government signed an agreement with the US government on the day of his inauguration for the return of migrants to their home countries. According to this agreement, Washington will cover the costs for the flights. The Panamanian government stated that the return of migrants will be voluntary. Irregular immigration is one of the dominant issues in the US Presidential Election 2024 campaign.
The Darién Jungle is considered one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world - not only due to the partly mountainous, partly swampy terrain, but also due to the active criminal gangs that often rob or sexually abuse people there. Migrants are fleeing poverty, violence, and political crises in their home countries.
- The desperate journey of migrants from Central America and other regions, seeking to reach the United States of America, often involves traversing the perilous Darién Jungle in South America.
- The Public Prosecutor's Office in Panama is actively investigating the causes and circumstances surrounding the drowning of ten migrants in a rushing river within the jungle.
- The tragic accident reinforces concerns about the dangerous migration route, which has seen over half a million adults and children attempt the journey last year, many of whom are from countries in the Caribbean and South America.
- In an effort to stem the flow of migrants and combat smuggling gangs, the newly inaugurated Panamanian President José Raúl Molina has installed a barbed wire fence along the southern border, closing six irregular passages.
- The signing of an agreement between the Panamanian and US governments allows for the voluntary return of migrants to their home countries, with Washington covering the costs for flight transportation.
- Smuggling attempts by international gangs continue to pose a significant threat along the irregular border crossings, putting the lives of migrants, including children, in considerable danger as they seek a better life.
