The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Friday that over 100 000 refugees and migrants have traversed the Darien jungle within the initial three months of this year.
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The concern was expressed in a collaborative declaration documented in the capital of Panama, wherein it was indicated that, in accordance with statistical data provided by the Panamanian authorities, the populace exceeding 100,000 surpasses the number of individuals that had arrived during the comparable period in the year 2022 by a factor of six.
It was asserted by the authorities that a projection of over 400,000 individuals crossing the border could potentially materialize by the end of the year 2023, given the current trend.
It has been observed that the Republic of Panama is confronted with a highly daunting matter concerning mixed migration, which is regarded as being one of the most problematic crises within the past decade, and is a significant part of an exceptional displacement all across the Americas.
Last year, 2022, witnessed the arrival of an unprecedented number of refugees and migrants crossing the Darien, with a total figure of nearly 250,000 individuals, all of whom had placed their lives in grave jeopardy.
It has been explicated by the organizations that frequently, individuals opt to depart from their native land for economic grounds, which could be attributed to a dearth in employment opportunities.
The majority of individuals expressed that their decision to seek refuge in foreign territory because of general levels of insecurity or threats, alongside targeted violence directed towards themselves and their loved ones.
Furthermore, it is notable that a significant proportion of the populace, amounting to 75%, encountered an injury or accident during their expedition.
Conversely, a concerning proportion of approximately one-third of the group were subjected to mistreatment or abuse, particularly during the crossing of the Darien jungle.