Migrant crossings through Panama's Darien Gap down 35% so far in 2024

METETI, Panama — 

Migrant crossings done the treacherous Darien Gap that connects Panama to Colombia are down by implicit a 3rd successful the year's archetypal 9 months, a Panamanian borderline authoritative said connected Thursday, crediting heightened information by the caller government.

Between January and September 25, 259,712 migrants arrived successful Panama done the Darien, a 35% alteration compared with the aforesaid play successful 2023, said Alexis de Gracia, caput of the National Border Service's eastbound brigade, citing authoritative data.

Panamanian authorities property the driblet to stricter information measures implemented by the authorities of President Jose Raul Mulino since helium took bureau connected July 1.

The caller government's efforts see the closing of immoderate routes done the jungle transition and expanding deportations with U.S. support.

The information besides travel astir 4 months aft U.S. President Joe Biden instituted a wide asylum prohibition connected migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

Panama has go a transit way for hundreds of thousands of migrants, astir of them seeking to scope the United States. Last year, a grounds 520,000 migrants - astir of them Venezuelans -- crossed the Darien successful hunt of amended opportunities successful the north.

In July, Mulino's archetypal period successful office, 20,519 migrants crossed the Darien, down 34% from June and little than fractional of the fig of migrants who crossed successful the aforesaid period past year.

In August determination were 19% less crossings compared with the erstwhile period and 5 times less compared with the aforesaid period successful 2023, according to authoritative data.

Some analysts are skeptical the government's measures volition win successful the mean word without addressing the basal causes of migration, portion immoderate besides fearfulness the measures could marque question adjacent much unsafe for migrants.

Further, "there is the anticipation that they usage different routes," De Gracia said, and the government's measures could person pushed migrants to usage routes from Colombia done the Caribbean successful lieu of the Darien Gap.