Moderators Moderator_03 Posted February 12, 2023 Moderators Share Posted February 12, 2023 Quote UN acuses Panama of migrant abuses in Darien Posted 11/02/2023 Reports of sexual abuse, deprivation of liberty, and forced labor, in the Migrant Reception Stations (ERM) in Darién are in a document from the United Nations (UN), sent to the Panamanian government in December its handling of the humanitarian crisis in Darien. The document, to which the newspaper El País had access, says the humiliations are committed by officials of the National Migration Service and the National Border Service (Senafront). "According to these complaints, SNM and Senafront personnel would have requested sexual exchanges from women and girls housed in the ERM of San Vicente who lack the money to cover transportation costs," says the document prepared by the special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe González Morales. According to the text reviewed by the Spanish publication, they do so "with the promise of allowing them to get on the buses coordinated by the Panamanian authorities so that they can continue their journey to the border with Costa Rica." Apart from the complaints of sexual violence, there are complaints by people who perform forced labor to be able to pay the 40 dollars that the bus costs and thus leave the stations. Figures indicate that in 2022, at least 248,000 migrants crossed the dangerous jungle that separates Colombia from Panama, mostly Venezuelans, Ecuadorians and Haitians. These people were subjected to dangers such as assaults, disappearances, and sexual violence at the hands of armed groups. In 2021, more than 300 cases of sexual abuse were registered; and between January and June 2022, there were more than 140 cases during the tour. Upon reaching Panamanian territory and, after avoiding death on the way, the migrants are housed in the ERM, which is supervised by the National Migration Service and the National Border Service (Senafront). But it is right there where, according to the UN report, they are "de facto deprived of their liberty, since they are not authorized to leave these centers, except to be transferred by the Panamanian authorities to the border with Costa Rica." The UN report details that there are cases of families detained for more than 3 months in the stations due to a lack of documents, including birth certificates that prove the relationship between parents and children, as well as delays in the identification processes by the Panamanian authorities. “People seeking asylum in Panama would also not be allowed to leave the MREs until the end of the procedure, which can reportedly take several months,” it says. “We would like to express our concern in particular regarding the allegations that boys and girls are also detained in the MREs,” she adds. In addition, the UN ensures that it does not "prejudge" and warns the Government of Panama that "if confirmed, the situations described would constitute violations of the human rights of migrants." It also reminds you that the precarious conditions reported in the Migrant Reception Stations "may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and may lead to violations of the rights to life and personal integrity. "The organization gave the Government a period of 60 days to respond to the complaints. They were fulfilled on Thursday, February 9. The document, according to El País, is dated December but has not been made public. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/un-acuses-panama-of-migrant-abuses-in-darien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted February 13, 2023 Moderators Share Posted February 13, 2023 Quote Panama responds to UN report on migrant abuse Posted 12/02/2023 Panama’s Minister of Security, Juan Pino, said Saturday that the Government will respond to the report of a UN special rapporteur that expresses its "serious concern" about "the reception conditions" of migrants who arrive in Panama after crossing the Darien jungle on its journey to North America. The Special Rapporteur warns of complaints about "the supposedly precarious and unhealthy conditions" of the migration reception stations (ERM) in Panama, according to a report delivered to the Panamanian government last December. The complaints also cover alleged ill-treatment and sexual abuse, by the authorities that manage the MREs towards the migrants, who arrive in Panama after crossing the dangerous Darien jungle. according to the agency's document. Sex for transport The MREs are located on the southern (Colombia) and northern (Costa Rica) borders of Panama, where there are officials from security entities such as the National Immigration Service and the National Border Service (Senafront) who are accused of seeking sex to ensure a seat on a bus. "This is going to be answered because Panama has been working on these issues since 2020 with the Public Ministry that is in the reception camps and there is no formal complaint for rape against officials of both institutions," Pino told TVN. In a statement, the Government rejected "in the most energetic way" the accusations that "try to distort the humanitarian work of Panamanian entities”. “Panama, through its competent authorities and the investigations of the Public Ministry, has responded to all complaints filed by people in the context of human mobility and, in none of these, has there been any mention of the participation of Panamanian public officials. In case these facts were corroborated, the Government will carry out the pertinent investigations”, it highlighted. The UN report, emphasizes that according to the information received, in the MREs irregular migrants "would be de facto deprived of their liberty, since they were not authorized to leave the centers, except to be transferred towards the border with Costa Rica”, at a cost of $40 dollars per person that must be assumed by travelers, many of whom lack funds, so they remain trapped. This is so "although these stations are not considered by the Panamanian authorities as detention centers," says the document, signed by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, and six other UN rapporteurs officials and independent experts. "Without prejudging the veracity of the allegations (...) we are seriously concerned about the reception conditions of migrants", given "the insufficient attention provided to basic needs" in the MREs and "the lack of access to justice mechanisms.’ and reparation for those people who have been victims of violence, among others.” The UN indicated that "similar concerns" were transmitted to the Panamanian government in December, "no response" had been received, "If confirmed, the situations described would constitute violations of the human rights of migrants," the 18-page document indicated. The Panamanian government argues that no other country in the Americas offers this type of assistance to migrants in transit, in which it has invested at least $50 million. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-responds-to-un-report-on-migrant-abuse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted February 17, 2023 Moderators Share Posted February 17, 2023 Quote Migrant transportation - a multibillion dollar business Posted 16/02/2023 The deadliest land transport accident in the history of Panama should not have happened. All the elements of the facts around the issue of migrants who cross the Darién have become a business and a cause of permanent mourning writes Rodrigo Noriega in La Prensa. The journey from the shelters in San Vicente in Darién to the shelter in Gualaca is approximately 674 kilometers. The damaged bus had a Darién license plate and belonged to a transportation cooperative in that province that offers service from Panama to Darién and vice versa. On this route there is not much fog, there are not so many curves and the only "mountain range" that passes is between Tortí (Chepo district) and Darién. Orlando Vigil, one of the two drivers of the accident bus, was 70 years old and, according to reports, this was the first time he had made the night trip to Gualaca. Vigil died along with dozens of migrant passengers who entrusted their lives to him. The driver was not to blame for the accident, he was another victim. The bus that Vigil was driving was the first of a caravan of 5 that carried migrants from Darién to Chiriquí and were escorted by a vehicle from the National Migration Service. Escorted, not meaning guided on the route. The ticket for a migrant from Darién to Chiriquí is 40 dollars, which makes it the most expensive ticket for ground transportation in the country. Each migrant has to pay for his ticket, and once he arrives in Chiriquí, he has to see how he gets resources to continue his journey north. A round business According to data from the Ministry of Security, last year 248,284 migrants crossed the Darién. Each of them had to pay for their trip to the Colombian, Panamanian, and Venezuelan coyotes. Colombian media have revealed that the Gulf Cartel has control over a large part of the migrant business, which includes serving as mules for drug trafficking and being part of the victims of commercial sexual exploitation. It is estimated that each migrant had to pay between $500 and $1,000 between logistics, supplies, and other services to cross Darién. That means that the size of that part of the business was at least $124 million and up to more than 248 million for entering a trail in Darién. That trail is another journey loaded with tragedy. Migrants who are dying of hunger or disease, entire families who are assaulted and stripped of what little they can carry, and women, girls, and boys who are outraged by Colombian and Panamanian bandits. In addition, there are the tragedies of other mourning, that of the mothers who must leave their young children behind on the trail and who they will never see again. There are also husbands who left their pregnant partners to chance, and also older adults and people with disabilities for whom the trail became a cemetery. A human right Migrating in search of a better future is a human right. The bankruptcy of the immigration policy of the United States, caught in the dead end of the battle between Democrats and Republicans, is causing an enormous amount of mourning among people who seek to fulfill that aspiration for a better future. They are also part of that responsibility falls on the failed countries that are the source of the migration that passes through Darién. An infamous list led by Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela, to which extra-continental countries of Asia and Africa were added, and to which Ecuadorians are now added, in the face of a country that is beginning to be consumed by violence and hopelessness. Panama has had to bite the bullet to serve them in the best way. Before the fatal accident, the name of the country was already in international headlines for the alleged sexual abuse and mistreatment reported by a United Nations report in which it was stated that the humiliation was carried out by Panamanian officials against the migrants. Panama’s task In the short term, the United States is not going to change its immigration policy. For its part, Colombia will not control organized crime and the exploiters of migrants, who openly announce on social networks how easy it is to cross the Darién jungle and how charitable the Panamanian authorities are. So Panama is left with the task of changing the situation. Perhaps it is worth copying the idea of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who proposed that his country's military close the trails along which irregular migration and smuggling take place between Colombia and Venezuela. Panama must do the same. The Darién trail can be closed and closed with a combination of rubble carried by helicopters, a blockade with concrete structures accompanied by other measures that include the controlled use of explosives to collapse part of the road. Once the trail is closed, migration does not end. That vile and disgusting way of business is over. The trail exists because the coyotes that take migrants by sea from Necoclí in Colombia want to avoid a confrontation with the Panamanian authorities. If the trail is closed, migrant smuggling will have to be by sea and as soon as a boat arrives in Panamanian sovereign territory it can be captured by SENAN or SENAFRONT, and that's how the business ends. New routes and other complicit governments will have to be recruited, but Panama will no longer be part of that mourning https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/migrant-transportation-a-multibillion-dollar-business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted February 26, 2023 Moderators Share Posted February 26, 2023 Quote Temporary suspension of migrant bus transfers 38 migrants died in the February 15 accident. Posted 25/02/2023 Panama announced Saturday the suspension of the transfer of migrants from shelters on the border with Colombia to one near the border with Costa Rica, after the registration of two accidents this month, one of with at least 39 deaths. "The National Migration Service (SNM) has decided to stop this transfer, this humanitarian corridor, while the procedure that Transit is going to carry out lasts and that the competent authority certifies us that indeed these buses are in the state in which they must be there to continue transferring these people," said the agency's director, Samira Gozaine. Panama receives irregular migrants who cross the Darien jungle, the natural border with Colombia, in immigration reception stations (ERM), where they take their biometric data and offer them health and food assistance, after which they are transferred by bus, with a ticket paid for by themselves, to one of these facilities located in Chiriquí, on the border with Costa Rica, so that they continue on their way to North America. On that journey, an accident was recorded on February 15 that cost the lives of at least 38 migrants and the driver, and this Saturday another of those transports caught fire with no record of injuries or victims. In a video released by the Immigration office, Gozaine explained this Saturday that " Sunday, the Transit Authority in Darién doing a new review of all the documentation to make sure that they continue to meet the requirements demanded by the Transit ". "In the 8 years that this humanitarian corridor has existed) more than 500,000 migrants have moved through Panama, that is almost 10,000 bus trips," said Gozaine, who lamented the two accidents that have involved migrants in the last week. Last year, 248,284 passersby crossed the Darien jungle, an unprecedented number. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/temporary-suspension-of-migrant-bus-transfers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted March 9, 2023 Moderators Share Posted March 9, 2023 Quote Darien Gap migrant flow increases 5-fold Posted 08/03/2023 In the remote community of La Peñita, in Darién, something is being observed that did not happen four years ago: a large migratory flow of people through the mighty Chucunaque River. In 2019, La Peñita was the epicenter of the migration crisis; but they did not have the basic and necessary conditions to care for the walkers, so the migrant population was transferred to other points such as San Vicente or Lajas Blancas, both in Metetí. However, now that the migration scenario is worsening, the community of Tomás is smiling again. an Embara youth explains the reason. “When there were hundreds of migrants in La Peñita, we sold them food, water, and provided other services such as boats or transportation to the center of Darién. When they left, our small businesses went bankrupt and we had to go back to fishing and planting”, he said. La Peñita is a rural hamlet of some 150 houses on the banks of the Chucunaque River and in the poorest province in the country, second only to the indigenous regions. It is about five hours from Panama City and is practically lost in the border jungle. Its population is made up of indigenous people and peasants, including people who decided to emigrate from Colombia decades ago, fleeing the armed conflict between guerrillas in the neighboring country. There, the family income per month ranges from $80 to $100. Currently, the first communities receiving migrants such as Bajo Chiquito or Lajas Blancas are reporting the arrival of a high number of migrants, with which travelers are arriving through other access points to Darién. Until, Tuesday, there were 6,376 migrants in this province, of which 2,674 were in Bajo Chiquito and 1,328 in Lajas Blancas. There is overcrowding and both communities lack infrastructure and basic services to serve this migratory population. The Bishop of Darién, Pedro Hernández Cantarero, has seen how in recent years some migrants request help in this province. In the words of Hernández, the humanitarian drama is "complex", since this year the arrival of more travelers to the province is notorious. Chiriqui deaths For the priest, the recent traffic accident in which migrants who were being transported to a shelter in the province of Chiriquí died, means managing and transferring this population. “We must eradicate xenophobia against migrants since most of them do not want to stay here. Hernández's humanitarian call coincides with reports of the National Migration Service, showing that between January and February, 49,291 migrants arrived in Darién, a number five times higher than in the same period of 2022. Organizations like Unicef and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned last year about what is happening in Darién. Eduardo Leblanc, Ombudsman, urged the creation of a plan to deal with the migratory wave. Other entities such as the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences also prepare for any tragedy. José Vicente Pachar, director said, that this week they will launch a "humanitarian pantheon" in Darién, with 100 niches for those migrants who die on the hard journey and whose remains are not identified or no one claims. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/darien-gap-migrant-flow-increases-5-fold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted March 29, 2023 Moderators Share Posted March 29, 2023 Quote 400,000 migrants are predicted to cross Darien this year Posted 27/03/2023 So far this year, a record number of 78,585 migrants have crossed the dangerous Darién jungle on foot five times more than the figures registered in 2022, reports the Ministry of Security. With a week to go before the end of March, only this month they identified 29,294 migrants who crossed the Darién jungle from Colombia, surpassing the February figures, of 24,657, Juan Manuel Pino the Minister of Security reported on social networks after a visit to the border region. “We already have very high numbers, with an entry of more than a thousand people daily," said Pino, who toured with other authorities the border area of Cañas Blancas. 2022 had already marked a record year in the arrival of migrants to Panama through the Darién jungle, with more than 248,000, which in turn represented almost double those identified in 2021. The Panamanian authorities estimate that this year they could cross its territory with 400,000 migrants, breaking all records. And it is that if in the first three months of 2022 13,791 people had crossed the jungle, this year 78,585 already did so. In addition, in March of last year, 4,827 migrants crossed this border, while in this unfinished month, almost 30,000 have already done so. This situation underscores "the responsibility we have in security, we also have to see this issue from other perspectives and involve other authorities," Pino said. HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT On the one hand, the minister underscored the human drama of this crisis: "This is an inhospitable point in Panama where entire families go looking for a better future towards the United States, nationals from Venezuela, Haiti, and Ecuador the most frequently". He also highlighted "the environmental impact" on the jungle due to the massive flow of migrants, witnessing a negative change since his last visit to the place three months ago, with "shocking images" of mountains of garbage. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/400000-migrants-are-predicted-to-cross-darien-this-year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted April 9, 2023 Moderators Share Posted April 9, 2023 Quote Six-fold increase in migrants crossing Darién jungle Posted 08/04/2023 Some 387,390 migrants trekked through the Darién jungle in the first quarter, six times more than during the same period last year, reports Panama’s National Migration Service. To this must be added that between April 1 and 5, 4,905 migrants arrived through the Darién Gap with Venezuelans, Haitians, and Ecuadorians forming the majority. For the Bishop of Darién, Pedro Hernández Cantarero, the humanitarian drama is "complex", since this year the arrival of more travelers to the province is notorious. “There is a very large influx and it is opportune to prepare. The situation exceeds our capabilities and we must continue to improve ”, he stated. Organizations such as the United Nations Agency for Children (Unicef), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and warned last year about what is happening in Darién and, Panama Ombudsman Eduardo Leblanc, urged the creation of a plan to deal with the great migratory wave. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/six-fold-increase-in-migrants-crossing-darien-jungle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted April 13, 2023 Moderators Share Posted April 13, 2023 Quote Colombian minister skips migration press briefing The podium for the Colombian foreign minister was removed minutes before the briefing. Posted 12/04/2023 The foreign minister of Colombia, Álvaro Leyva Durán was absent from a tripartite press conference on Tuesday, April 11 that followed meetings with US Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas and Panama Foreign Minister Janaina Tewaney, to address the issue of irregular migration. A few minutes before Tewaney and Mayorkas entered, protocol personnel removed the third podium. The reason for the absence of the Colombian foreign minister was not explained. The anticipated tripartite briefing at the Foreign Ministry was preceded by a technical workshop in which they announced three pillars to mitigate the irregular flow of people to the US., mostly victims of organized crime dedicated to human trafficking. Despite extensive trilateral commitments to reduce the numbers of irregular migration to the north, which in the first four months of 2023 almost reached half the number who crossed the dangerous jungle in 2022, Leyva did not offer statements. Prior to the announcement, the three officials had agreed on the commitments embodied in a sustainable roadmap to be carried out within 12 months. Three primary actions were mentioned. The first, Tewaney pointed out, focuses on combating smuggling and trafficking networks that promote the illicit movement of people and goods by land and sea, and that puts the lives of migrants at risk and exposed them to exploitation for millionaire profits. Legal routes A second step is to open legal and flexible routes for migrants and refugees as an alternative to the Darién crossing where 36 people died last year, according to the International Organization for Migration. The technical meeting also reflected the need to improve the exchange of information between Colombia and Panama, especially in relation to the number of people leaving Colombia and those received in Darién, as the figures do not add up. The third point is to launch a plan to reduce poverty, improve the provision of public services and create jobs to promote sustainable economic opportunities in the border communities of northern Colombia and southern Panama. The way to achieve this involves international alliances between financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector. This is reminiscent of the plan promoted by the administration of President Joe Biden to invest up to $4 billion in Central America with the intention of improving the quality of life of citizens enough to inhibit the desire to emigrate to another country. For his part, Mayorkas prioritized the issue of routes used by irregular migration and the need to have economic development points to prevent human trafficking https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/colombian-minister-skips-migration-press-briefing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted April 26, 2023 Moderators Share Posted April 26, 2023 Quote 45 migrants lifted from David streets and moved to border Posted 24/04/2023 Forty-five migrants who come from the flow that transits from Darién were captured Sunday, April 23, during an operation carried out by the Field Action Migration Section of the Chiriquí Regional in coordination with the National Police in public areas in the city of David By nationality, there were 31 Venezuelans, 03 Ecuadorians, 03 Colombians, 03 Bolivians, 02 Peruvians, 02 Pakistanis, and 01 Chinese. The captured migrants (24 male, 09 female, 06 boys, and 06 girls) were sent to the border area of Paso Canoas to continue their journey through Central America. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/45-migrants-lifted-from-david-streets-and-moved-to-border Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted May 7, 2023 Moderators Share Posted May 7, 2023 Quote Darien Gap claims two more migrant victims Airmairis Yánez, 19, and her father Armando Yánez, 45, originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela, died on Saturday in Darién, while trying to reach the United States. The father and daughter were traveling with her boyfriend, Alirio Espinoza, 21, who managed to survive a flash flood when he, and his girlfriend Airmairis and Armando were trying to cross a river in the Darien. The two men tried to save the girl, but the force of the water swept away the father and daughter. Posted 06/05/2023 https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/darien-gap-claims-two-more-migrant-victims Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted May 20, 2023 Moderators Share Posted May 20, 2023 Quote No decrease in Darien migrant flow Posted 19/05/2023 The Security Minister, Juan Manuel Pino , confirmed that so far there has not been a decrease in the entry of migrants into the national territory, despite the new regulations implemented by the United States that restrict the entry of undocumented immigrants at its borders. On May 18 more than 1,300 migrants entered Panama through the Darien jungle and so far this year more than 150,000 have been counted. Pino pointed out that with the entry into force of "Title 8" in the United States, the entry of migrants crossing the Darien jungle bound for North America should decrease and he hopes that in the coming days this new regulation, more restrictive than the previous one [ Title 42], take effect in the region, especially in Panama, which has been impacted by the migration crisis experienced in 2022 when more than a quarter of a million people entered the country through the dangerous and inhospitable jungle of the Darién. He said that the national government is doing its part regarding the safe transfer of these migrants through the national territory to the border with Costa Rica. However, up to now there is no evidence to confirm that there is a drop in the impact in terms of the number of foreigners who continue to enter the country. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/no-decrease-in-darien-migrant-flow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted May 21, 2023 Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2023 Quote Four-year-old abandoned in Darien jungle Posted 20/05/2023 Panama’e National Migration Service (SNM) reported this Saturday, May 20, that the Panamanian authorities keep in custody and under protection, a child under the age of five who was abandoned in the Darién jungle during his migratory journey underlining concerns about the increase in child migration with over 120,000 crossing the perilous route. The director of the SNM, Samira Gozaine, pointed out that the report stated that the minor was found by an Ecuadorian family, who helped him and brought him to the receiving community of Bajo Chiquito. The authorities indicated that they have already managed to identify the mother of the minor, who is pregnant and has three other children. The Ministry of Public Security, through the SNM and the National Border Service, thanked the Ecuadorean family that helped the minor and brought him to a safe place. Panama has been facing for years the passage of a wave of migrants risking their lives through the Darien jungle to reach the United States. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/four-year-old-abandoned-in-darien-jungle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted May 27, 2023 Moderators Share Posted May 27, 2023 Quote Reports of the US militarizing Darién Gap downplayed Posted 26/05/2023 International media reports that there is pressure on the US Pentagon to militarize the Darien Gap in order to contain migrant smuggling and organized crime have been dismissed by the White and Panama’s Minister of Security, Juan Pino, told La Estrella: "Nobody has talked about it and the idea does not proceed." The news comes alongside a report that the US Department of Defense has donated 63 'jeeps' valued at $5 million to Panama. The Darién Gap, through which hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants pass each year and organized crime groups operate, is once again a topic of conversation at the White House. Information published in international media speaks of pressure on the Pentagon to consider the idea of militarizing the area. This indicates that the immigration issue, in addition to being a security issue, is intertwined with the importance of the strategic and geopolitical point that Panama represents for the United States. According to the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, "senior officials of the Biden government are pushing to send US troops to Darién to help local forces curb drug smuggling, human trafficking, and migration." The information was provided to the newspaper by an unidentified senior Biden administration official and another defense official. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/reports-of-the-us-militarizing-darien-gap-downplayed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted May 27, 2023 Moderators Share Posted May 27, 2023 Quote Foreign Minister Janaina Mencomo assures, that the migratory flow through the Darién jungle decreases By Adrian Prozzo on May 19, 2023 in News from Panama Foreign Minister Janaina Mencomo assures, that the migratory flow through the Darién jungle decreases “The numbers we have are lower,” he said, while explaining that they are investigating if it is due to the rains of recent days or if people gave up migrating to the United States. He added that they have already requested information from Colombia to determine the causes. https://panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com/blog/?p=33944 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted May 28, 2023 Moderators Share Posted May 28, 2023 Quote Migrant traffic down 50% in two weeks Posted 27/05/2023 The transit of irregular migrants through the Darién jungle between Colombia and Panama has decreased by 50% during the last two weeks, as confirmed by National Migration Service (SMN) and the Ombudsman's Office. Fifteen days ago, the daily average number of migrants arriving in the country through the Darien Gap was 1,500 and this week it is at 750, according to the latest SNM report. There was even one day, (May 21, when only 142 migrants passed through. In total, so far this year, 162,308 migrants have crossed the jungle, of which 49% are from Venezuela. According to the Ombudsman, Eduardo Leblanc, they have been informed from Colombia that, specifically in the Municipality of Necoclí, the number of migrants who buy a ticket to take a boat that transports them to Capurganá, to then reach Darién, has decreased. “We are waiting more time to determine if this is a consequence of inclement weather [rain] or US immigration policies,” he said. Once Title 42 expired and Title 8 entered into force, on May 11, the US State Department announced that Panama, Colombia, and the United States reached a historic agreement to launch a 60-day campaign, given the unprecedented migration that is registered through the dangerous Darien corridor. The campaign aims to dismantle criminal networks that facilitate the illicit displacement of people and increase the state's presence in the jungle. As authorities retake control of this region and root out criminal actors, migrants are urged to wait and seek safe, orderly, and lawful pathways, including those options announced when Title 42 ended. JEEPS DONATION This week, the United States embassy in Panama reported that it donated 63 Jeep vehicles valued at $8 million to the country's security forces, for border and maritime operations. The United States ambassador in Panama, Mari Carmen Aponte,said the jeeps are the largest donation of vehicles that the US has made to Panama to date. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/migrant-traffic-down-50-in-two-weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 1, 2023 Moderators Share Posted June 1, 2023 Quote Border Service denies US troops are in Darien Posted 31/05/2023 Oriel Ortega, director of the National Border Service categorically denied that US troops are supporting the custody and protection of the Darién jungle after rumors emerged on social networks about the alleged sending of soldiers to this area by the White House in order to stop the migratory passage towards the United States. "That is totally false, the National Border Service (Senafront) has territorial control of the nation on all its borders, both in the passage with Colombia and in Costa Rica," Ortega asserted, adding that the function of this institution is to protect, guard, and maintain the country's sovereignty in the face of possible conflicts with armed groups near the border. Ortega also referred to the incident that took place last weekend near the Bajo Chiquito community in Darién where three armed individuals died after clashing with Senafront troops. According to the investigations, it was the migrants themselves who alerted the authorities that a group of people dressed in black and with firearms were in the place who were engaged in stealing money, cell phones, and the few belongings of these people, taking advantage of their vulnerability. Immediately, the Senafront deployed an operation in the area, managing to identify some tracks that led them to the place where these criminals were hiding. It was at that moment that the Panamanian units receive direct fire from these individuals who were ‘carrying 12-gauge shotguns and 38-gauge revolvers. A confrontation ensued, resulting in the death of three people. After the fact, the authorities were able to verify that these men had in their possession a significant amount of money and several cell phones that were presumed stolen from the migrants. Ortega indicated that the deceased have indigenous features, so it will be necessary to wait for the Public Ministry to remove the corpses and proceed with the pertinent investigation to determine if they are nationals or foreigners. He added that Senafront in conjunction with the National Aeronaval Service has intensified operations on the trail where migrants pass, as well as in the nearby communities of the migration zone that are exposed to the dangers of organized crime. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/border-service-denies-us-troops-are-in-darien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 3, 2023 Moderators Share Posted June 3, 2023 Quote Operation to combat criminal gangs who prey on migrants Posted 02/06/2023 A contingent of 1,200 agents from the National Border Service (Senanfront), the National Aeronaval Service (Senan), and the National Migration Service (SNM) left the Nicanor airport, in Darién, at the launch of “OperationChocó" which is part of the "Shield" campaign which seeks to combat the actions of international and national organized crime against irregular migrants. The Panamanian authorities assured that "Darién is not a route" and that a large number of people have died when they entered the jungle “deceived by members of these groups. They are told that the crossing through the Darién plug will take two days, since it takes much longer, they end up in the middle of the jungle without food. Since 2009, some 600,000 irregular migrants have passed through Panamanian territory, 40% of them are minors. The director of the SNM, Samira Gonzaine, said t Friday, June 2, that they will impose fines of $1,000 for those who enter the country irregularly through the trails of the Darién province. She added that no date has been set but the measure will be implemented. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/operation-to-combat-criminal-gangs-who-prey-on-migrants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 7, 2023 Moderators Share Posted June 7, 2023 Quote 114 migrants found on David streets sent to Costa Rica border The Darien Gap is one of the most dangerous migratory routes in the world. Posted 06/06/2023 Panama immigration authorities reported on Tuesday, June 6, that they "referred" 114 irregular migrants they found on the streets of David, to the border with Costa Rica. The Police and Migration initially located 121 migrants during operations between Thursday and Sunday "in different streets and sectors of the David district” Of the 121 apprehended by the Police, 114 "were sent to the border area of Paso Canoas," the land crossing with Costa Rica, and "will continue their transit through Central America," the Panamanian authorities said. They said that of the 114 migrants, 90 were Venezuelans, 9 Haitians, 7 Colombians, 2 Chileans, 2 Chinese, 2 Ecuadorians, and 2 Peruvians. To the rest of the "captured" migrants, the authorities applied "administrative offenses." A Colombian was taken to a shelter, an Ecuadorian "was given a summons" and five Venezuelans had a refugee application. The Darién plug, which separates Panama and Colombia, is considered one of the most dangerous migratory routes in the world and is used daily by hundreds of irregular migrants many of them mobilized by networks of human traffickers. In the first five months of the year, 166,122 irregular migrants have crossed Darién, a number almost five times higher than the same period in 2022. The majority continue to be Venezuelans, followed by Haitians. It is expected that this year 400,000 people will cross the Darién Gap which would almost double the data for 2022. Panama immigration authorities reported on Tuesday, June 6, that they "referred" 114 irregular migrants they found on the streets of David, to the border with Costa Rica. The Police and Migration initially located 121 migrants during operations between Thursday and Sunday "in different streets and sectors of the David district” Of the 121 apprehended by the Police, 114 "were sent to the border area of Paso Canoas," the land crossing with Costa Rica, and "will continue their transit through Central America," the Panamanian authorities said. They said that of the 114 migrants, 90 were Venezuelans, 9 Haitians, 7 Colombians, 2 Chileans, 2 Chinese, 2 Ecuadorians, and 2 Peruvians. To the rest of the "captured" migrants, the authorities applied "administrative offenses." A Colombian was taken to a shelter, an Ecuadorian "was given a summons" and five Venezuelans had a refugee application. The Darién plug, which separates Panama and Colombia, is considered one of the most dangerous migratory routes in the world and is used daily by hundreds of irregular migrants many of them mobilized by networks of human traffickers. In the first five months of the year, 166,122 irregular migrants have crossed Darién, a number almost five times higher than the same period in 2022. The majority continue to be Venezuelans, followed by Haitians. It is expected that this year 400,000 people will cross the Darién Gap which would almost double the data for 2022. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/114-migrants-found-on-david-streets-sent-to-costa-rica-border Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 16, 2023 Moderators Share Posted June 16, 2023 Quote 12 Colombians deported including “a danger to the State” Posted 15/06/2023 Panamanian authorities deported 12 Colombians on Wednesday, June 14 including one linked to a femicide and who represented "a danger to the State”. This was the fifth deportation flight of 12 Colombians, in a collaboration between Senafront, the National Migration Service (SNM), and the National Aeronaval Service (Senan). According to the Panamanian authorities, these Colombians entered Panama irregularly and maintain criminal records or ties to them in their respective countries. The deputy director of the SNM, María Isabel Saravia, said that the operation was carried out by the SNM and the Senan, considering that they represent a security danger for the country and the region. " Within this group upon arrival in Colombia, the authorities of that country proceeded with the capture of one of these people who had an outstanding warrant for femicide," added Saravia. This was the fifth flight with deportees expelled made since May 10 of this year, which adds up to a total of 54 Colombians sent to their country, respecting their rights and following the procedures established by law. To date, the SNM, through commercial flights, has carried out 204 deportations and expulsions of people of various nationalities, to which are added those carried out on Wednesday. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/12-colombians-deported-including-a-danger-to-the-state Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 17, 2023 Moderators Share Posted June 17, 2023 Quote 2nd group of deportees arrived in Panama on coat-tails of migrants Posted 16/06/2023 A second group of Colombian citizens was deported on Friday, June 16, because they had pending cases in their country, reports the National Migration Service. It was the second group of 12 deported this week and the sixth flight to Colombia due to pending cases. The group of 12 people attempted to enter the country through the migratory flow from the province of Darién, however it was detected by the biometric controls. This is the second group of 12 who was deported due to their legal situation in Colombia, the entity said. “In six deportation flights and with the support of the National Aeronaval Service, a total of 66 Colombians are already in their country because they "represented a security threat to Panama." María Isabel Saravia, deputy director of the SNM said that a man who was arrested upon arrival in Colombia traveled on the fifth flight, since he was serving a 50-month sentence for a femicide. She added that "the movement of people in the Darien jungle is taken advantage of by criminals who put vulnerable people at risk, Panamanians and foreigners in general, therefore the mission is a security task." According to the SNM, this Friday 3 Venezuelans, 1 Peruvian and 1 Mexican were also deported.. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/2nd-group-of-deportees-arrived-in-panama-on-coat-tails-of-migrants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 7, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 7, 2023 Quote Over 200,000 migrants cross Darien Gap this year Posted 06/07/2023 In less than three years, half a million irregular migrants have crossed the Darien border, according to statistics from the National Migration Service (SNM), which so far this year registers the passage through the Darien jungle of at least 200,000 travelers. From January 1 to July 5, 2023, a total of 201,167 people crossed the border irregularly, coming from Colombia. The numbers reflect a significant increase in irregular migrants, compared to the 49,452 that passed through the Darién plug in the first half of 2022. Throughout 2021 the figure was 133,726 migrants and in 2022 it increased to 248,284, which added to the 201,167 that have crossed the jungle so far in 2023, the data reveals that half a million irregular travelers made the perilous journey in less than three years. According to the report of the immigration authority, so far this year 103,028 of the travelers who have crossed the border are Venezuelans. Haitians follow with 33,553, Ecuadorians with 25,925, Chinese, with 8,964, and Colombians with 6,489. April was the month with the highest number of irregular migrants entering Panama through the Darién plug with 40,297 migrants. The main objective of most of these travelers is to reach North America. “The National Migration Service points out that although migration is a universal right, it is important to carry out mobility in a regular, orderly, and safe manner. The Darién National Park has been a World Heritage Site since 1981, which is why the Panamanian authorities reiterate that “Darién is not a route” https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/over-200000-migrants-cross-darien-gap-this-year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 16, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 16, 2023 Quote Panama Government initiates temporary protection certificate for migrants Posted 15/07/2023 The Government of Panama, through the National Migration Service (SNM), reports that irregular migrants who are in a condition of vulnerability may opt for a temporary protection permit. Irregular migrants who are within the national territory and have remained in the country for a period of not less than one year, without maintaining a current immigration process, can opt for the protection starting next Monday, July 17 says La Estrella Panamanian authorities announced in July that the number of migrants who have crossed the Darien jungle so far this year has exceeded 200,000. Migration explained that this temporary permit is intended to provide protection to the irregular migrant population who are in a vulnerable condition, subject to risks and dangers in the face of the smuggling of migrants and the different forms of human trafficking. The SNM reported that appointments must be requested online through the website www.migracionpanama.gob.pa starting Monday, July 17. The implementation of the Temporary Protection Permit request will begin on August 1 of this year. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-government-initiates-temporary-protection-certificate-for-migrants-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 23, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 23, 2023 Quote Over 4000 applications in 24 hours for protection permit Posted 22/07/2023 In just 24 hours, the National Migration Service (SNM) received (some 4,000 applications for the "temporary protection permit", an alternative put in place to grant status to irregular migrants, for a non-extendable period of two years. On Monday, July 17, the same day the program was launched the avalanche of registration requests the SNM received was such that the quotas for face-to-face interviews for the first two weeks of August were exhausted. When the Cortizo administration began in July 2019, it was decided to stop this type of temporary immigration status permit, known until then as "Crisol de Razas" and its variants. The new version of the temporary permit will supposedly be valid until July 2024. The program is aimed at foreigners, regardless of nationality, who have been in the country for one year and who have not carried out any procedure to regularize their situation. The beneficiaries will be able to reside in the territory of the Republic of Panama for two years, complying with the tax, social security, health and legal obligations in general, which their activity demands. The SNM says that the permit is intended to provide protection to the irregular migrant population that is in a condition of vulnerability, subject to risks and dangers in the face of the smuggling of migrants and different forms of human trafficking. The national deputy director of the SNM, María Isabel Saravia, estimates that some 200,000 migrants, mostly from Colombia and Venezuela, could benefit from the new program. The amounts collected for immigration services will be used for social assistance and security. 70% will be assigned to the Ministry of the Presidency and the remaining 30% will go to the "Special Fund for the Development of Human Resources" of the National Migration Service. Criticism The fact that 70% of the amounts collected are for the Presidency of the Republic, until recently in charge of the vice president and presidential candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), José Gabriel Carrizo, has generated criticism. The economist and professor Maribel Gordón, presidential candidate for free application, stressed that a program related to the human rights of migrants has become an alternative to have access to more financial resources. The lawyer and also a candidate for free application, Francisco Carreira, pointed out that the measure seeks to turn the issue of foreigners into a cash register again. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/over-4000-applications-in-24-hours-for-protection-permit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 24, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 24, 2023 Quote Record of migrant crossings of Darién jungle to be exceeded in July Posted 23/07/2023 Panamanian authorities said Saturday that the “historical record” of 248,000 irregular migrants who crossed the Darién, jungle that divides Panama and Colombia, is expected to be exceeded this July since some 230,000 people have been counted in transit so far this year. “We have been arriving for more than a week with more than a thousand people a day. Last year ended with 248,000 migrants arriving in Panama, a historical record. This year we are going to pass that historical record this July because we already have some 230,000 people,” said the Panamanian Security Minister, Juan Manuel Pino. The authorities have reiterated on other occasions that this year 400,000 migrants are expected to cross the dangerous jungle. Last year a record number of some 248,000 migrants crossed, a number that exceeded 133,726 people in transit in 2021, 6,465 in 2020, and 22,102 in 2019. So far this year, 230,000 migrants have crossed the Darién, an unprecedented figure that multiplies by four the 49,452 who crossed this border in the same period of 2022, according to official figures updated Saturday by the minister. More than 40,000 migrant children have crossed the jungle this year, among them there are some who get lost or are found next to their mother's body, according to figures and testimonies collected by the Panamanian authorities. Weather conditions and the presence of armed groups increase insecurity in the Darién, where migrants can be assaulted or raped. Panama receives irregular travelers heading to North America at immigration stations located near its southern border with Colombia and on the northern border with Costa Rica, where it offers them healthcare and food, in a unique operation on the continent that involves a dozen international organizations. COYOTES CAPTURED From April 1 to July 19 433 people have been captured for different crimes, of which 23 were “coyotes” for human trafficking, 239 for having a case pending with the Panamanian justice, 26 for drug trafficking, 66 for micro-trafficking, 43 for possession of firearms, 18 for "biometric alert", 8 for smuggling, 2 for illicit possession of money and 8 for illegal mining, according to official statistics. Under "Operation Shield", the Panamanian security forces have seized 1,852 drug packages in the Darién. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/record-of-migrant-crossings-of-darien-jungle-to-be-exceeded-in-july Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 29, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 29, 2023 Quote Another 12 Colombians with criminal records deported Posted 28/07/2023 The National Migration Service (SNM) reported that it deported 12 Colombians on Friday, July 28, all with criminal records in their country of origin. The authorities reported that the deportees tried to enter due to the irregular migratory through the Darién Gap; however, they were detected the use of the biometric system So far in 2023, the SNM has carried out more than 318 returns, of these 207 were deported and 111 expelled, a task that it reinforced with the support of the National Aeronaval Service. A total of 85 Colombians have been deported or expelled to their country in seven previous flights. In addition to trying to enter the country illegally, these people have a record of serving a sentence, mostly for drug-related crimes. Each of these people has been deported or expelled, taking into account their human rights and respecting due process. Between deportations and expulsions, from January to July 28, the, figure has already reached 318 people, of these 207 were deported and 111 expelled. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/another-12-colombians-with-criminal-records-deported Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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