The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) expressed their concern about increasing migration in the Darien jungle, between Panama and Colombia.

In a joint statement, they indicated that according to figures from the Panamanian authorities, more than 100,000 people have crossed the Darién, which is six times more than in the same period of the previous year (January, February and March). It is estimated that if it continues like this, it will close with more than 400,000 migrants moving through the jungle.

4 factors to understand why Ecuadorians are now the South Americans who cross the Darién jungle the most on their way to the US.

According to figures from the National Migration Service (SNM), there were 248,284 migrants present in 2022 at that time. In what corresponds to the period between January and March, only 376 Ecuadorians took that route, the list in those months being led by Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba.

The current figures for these three months show that the main nationalities are Venezuelan (30,250), Haitian (23,640) and Ecuadorian (14,327). There are also people from China (3,855), India (2,543), and the children of Haitians born in Chile (2,499) and Brazil (2,072).

“The dangers and levels of violence faced by people crossing the Darién are deeply concerning… There is an urgent need to work towards a protection-based regional solution to respond to this unprecedented humanitarian crisis in America,” said Philippa Candler, representing the UNHCR multi-country office in Panama.

Lack of employment, economic aspects and insecurity are some of the aspects that migration brings. “More than half of people also report fleeing their country due to general insecurity or threats, as well as specific attacks against them and their relatives,” it explained.

The organizations revealed that three quarters of the people suffered an accident or injury during the trip and an equal number suffered some form of mistreatment or abuse.