Big jump in migrants crossing Panama’s dangerous Darien Gap

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Panama’s government estimates 50,000 migrants crossed the treacherous Darien Gap linking Colombia and Panama in the first two months of 2023. That is five times more than in the same period of last year. Panama’s People’s Defense Office also said Wednesday that 9,683 of the migrants in the first two months were younger than 18. That was seven times more minors than crossed the jungle route in the same period last year. The office and U.N. rights organizations say the Darien Gap crossing has now become an established route, with 250,000 migrants making the crossing in 2022, a number that is on track to increase this year.