Attachments
CRISIS IMPACT OVERVIEW
The Darien Gap is a swampy jungle area that connects Urabá region in Colombia with the Panamanian province of Darien. The Darien Gap is the only land connection between South and Central America. It has historically served as a transit zone not only for migrants from Latin America but also for those from African and Asian countries trying to reach the US. Recently, the number of people crossing from Latin American countries has increased considerably (Minsalud 08/2021).
In 2022, 250,000 crossed through the Darien gap, which is the highest year recorded in history. In 2021, more than 125,000 people passed through this route, which represented more than the previous ten years combined (WOLA accessed 18/04/2023). The peak of people passing through the Darien Gap was reached in October 2022, with nearly 60,000 people crossing during this month alone. Although this number drastically reduced to less than 20,000 people in November, in 2023 the number of people crossing the Darien Gap has been increasing slightly, reaching just under 40,000 in March. As at 13 April 2023, around 100,000 people have crossed the Darien Gap so far in 2023 (IOM & UNHCR 14/04/2023).
Similar to the patterns recorded in 2022, the majority of people crossing the Darien Gap in 2023 are Venezuelan nationals (30%) and Haitians (23%). The remaining people mainly come from Ecuador (14%) and China (4%) (WOLA accessed 18/04/2023; IOM & UNHCR 14/04/2023).
Crossing the Darien jungle involves walking over 100km through more than 575,000 hectares of vegetation. People crossing this path are exposed to animals and insects, putting them at risk of animal-borne diseases and attacks, high temperatures and humidity, severe weather (especially during the rainy season), a lack of food, and infection from contaminated water (The Guardian 13/10/2022; VOA 19/08/2022). The presence of armed groups in the jungle put them at risk of exploitation, robbery, violence, and human trafficking (R4V 7/12/2021; Insight Crime 24/11/2022)