Migrants Crossings in Panama Decrease by 35%

By Jose Aguilar

This week, Panamanian authorities stated that the number of migrants crossing through their country decreased by 35% between January and September 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. This is due to the increased security measures implemented by the new administration in Panama, led by President Jose Raul Mulino, who started his term on July 1^st. Also, the Biden administration has implemented an asylum ban on migrants coming through the southern border of the United States (US). Many voices remain skeptical about how these measures will affect the number of migrants on the medium and long term. These are short-term solutions for a problem that has decades of history. Experts estate that not addressing the root causes of migration from places like Venezuela or other countries in the Global South will push migrants to use other routes in the Caribbean that will avoid the challenging Darien Jungle.

The presidents of Panama, Jose Raul Mulino, and the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, met in New York since both attended the 79^th General Assembly of the United Nations. They discussed creating “controlled and legal” routes for migrants and agreed to develop unique programs to serve migrants. The presidents stated that these efforts would help prevent the migrants from having to organize crime groups that control the migrant flows and that often take advantage of migrants. There is still a lot of work to be done regarding this unprecedented migrant crisis in the Western Hemisphere.