More than 300,000 migrants traversed the perilous Darien Gap into Panama in 2024, a 42% decrease from the record-breaking 520,085 crossings recorded the previous year, according to Panama’s migration authorities.
The Darien Gap, a treacherous jungle connecting Colombia to Panama, has seen a surge in migration as individuals journey northward toward the United States. However, stricter migration policies under Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino have contributed to the sharp decline in crossings.
Since assuming office in July 2024, President Mulino has implemented measures such as erecting barbed-wire fencing along parts of the Darien, imposing fines, and organizing U.S.-funded deportation flights for migrants. In a statement to lawmakers on Thursday, Mulino emphasized his administration's commitment to controlling illegal migration.
“We are working every day to ensure that illegal migration does not reach Panama City or the rest of the country,” he said.
Despite these efforts, the National Migration Service reported that 69% of the migrants in 2024 were Venezuelans fleeing their country’s prolonged economic crisis. While Panama deported 1,548 migrants through a bilateral agreement with the United States, approximately 209,000 Venezuelans were allowed to continue their journey due to suspended direct flights between Panama and Venezuela following Venezuela’s disputed July election.
Experts caution that while Panama’s measures have reduced the number of crossings, they fail to address the underlying causes driving migration, such as political instability, economic hardship, and violence in migrants’ home countries. Critics also warn that tighter restrictions could push migrants to take even more dangerous routes, exacerbating the risks associated with the already hazardous journey through the Darien Gap.
The situation underscores the complex challenges facing Panama as it balances national security with humanitarian concerns amid a regional migration crisis.
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