The lack of mental health support
The traumatic experience of those crossing the Darién is also causing high numbers of mental health consultations. According to a recent Action Against Hunger report, women bear the brunt, and are often carrying children with no support. While survivors of sexual violence may suffer from depression, suicidal thoughts, and sleep disorders, others feel the emotional burdens and stress of caring for the family in such extreme conditions.
Reported from Santiago, Chile by Daniela Mohor, with data visualisation from Zurich, Switzerland by Sofía Kuan.
Consejos y trucos de Zugasti para limpiar tu MTB y dejarla como nueva
Movements and routes through the Darién Gap
The journey through the Darién Gap usually starts in the Colombian ports of Necoclí or Turbo, where local communities offer maritime transportation to the towns of Acandí or Capurganá. Migrants are charged high amounts of money for every section of the trip. After crossing by boat, they must pay again to be allowed to continue through the jungle to the Panamanian side. There are three main paths leading to the government-run reception centres of Lajas Blancas and San Vicente, through the communities of Bajo Chiquito or Canaán Membrillo. The crossing lasts from 5 to 15 days and total costs range from $435 to more than 200,000 per person. There is also a more expensive VIP route, mostly used by Chinese. Migrants and asylum seekers then continue their trip to the Temporary Attention Center for Migrants (CATEM) in Costa Rica, from where, since October, they are directly transferred by bus to the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border. Many, however, run out of money before starting the trek and remain stranded in Turbo and Necoclí, where they are vulnerable to extortion, violence, and human trafficking.
The exponential rise in Darién Gap crossings
A number of factors caused the dramatic 2023 uptick in Darién Gap crossings. Changes in migration policies across the region have made it more difficult for those trying to reach the United States from South America to cross borders legally. Several countries imposed visa restrictions on Venezuelans and Haitians, even as countries such as Chile and Peru militarised their borders, pushing migrants to leave northward. In 2023, US President Joe Biden’s administration ended Title 42 – a pandemic-era border restriction – which motivated more people to head to the United States even though Biden soon adopted measures making it extremely difficult for them to seek asylum, and ramped up deportations. The lack of adequate integration policies has also been a driver. Among Haitians and Venezuelans in the Darién, many are migrating for the second time, from countries such as Brazil and Chile where they faced xenophobia, obstacles to regularise their status, and poor job opportunities. In April, Panamá, Colombia and the United States agreed on a tripartite plan to open up new regular migration routes to stem the flow, but so far no progress has been made.
From 2019 to 2022, most migrants crossing the Darién were Haitian and Cuban, but in the past two years Venezuelans have taken the lead, and the number of Ecuadorians seeking to escape from violence and poverty has also significantly increased. However, far from all the migrants crossing the Darién are Latin American, and the growing presence of migrants from other continents is garnering the attention of humanitarians, who must now cater their responses to those who don’t speak Spanish and are foreigners to the region. Chinese, Afghans, Indians, and nationals of different African countries have to confront language and cultural barriers, as well as the other dangers.
¿Qué artistas estarán en el Foro de las Estrellas de la Feria de San Marcos 2024?
- 12 de abril- Water Castle presenta: Don Diablo
- 13 de abril- Belanova
- 14 de abril- Alicia Villareal
- 15 de abril- Julio Preciado
- 16 de abril- STING
- 17 de abril- El Fantasma
- 18 de abril- Sech
- 19 de abril- Manuel Carrasco
- 20 de abril- Carlos Baute
- 22 de abril- Sinfónica militar
- 23 de abril-Christina Aguilera
- 24 de abril- Conjunto Primavera
- 25 de abril- Plácido Domingo
- 26 de abril- Enrique Iglesias
- 27 de abril- Icons of classic rock
- 28 de abril- Sebastián Yatra
- 29 de abril- La Original Banda el Limón
- 30 de abril- María Becerra
- 1 de mayo- Wisin
- 2 de mayo- Invasores y Cardenales de Nuevo León
- 3 de mayo- TOTO
- 4 de mayo- Il Divo
- 5 de mayo- Alejandro Sanz
adn40 Siempre Conmigo. Síguenos en Showcase de Google y mantente siempre informado.