INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Panama faces a daily influx of migrants arriving from Colombia through the perilous Darien Jungle.In Bajo Chiquito, an indigenous village,
authorities register them
Long queues for registration are common, creating a sense of never-ending work for officials.Reinel Serrano, a top Senafront officer,
crowd.Record numbers of people are crossing this year
Official data suggests more than 385,000 crossings so far.Panama Struggles to Manage Surge in Migration
Many migrants report robberies
According to local authorities, these criminals are usually area locals.Lack of funds makes life even more difficult for migrants in Bajo
Chiquito.Humanitarian groups are struggling too
Panamanian Red Cross chief.Background Darien JungleThe situation in Panama is part of a larger migration issue
This is not just a problem for Panama, but also for its neighbors.A rise in strict border controls elsewhere pushes migrants to choose the
dangerous Darien path.Health risks are another issue
Many migrants arrive with health problems
This strains both Panama and the humanitarian groups helping out.Security is also a concern
Screening thousands of people allows room for mistakes.Potential criminals could slip through the cracks, raising the need for stronger
checks.The broader issue is the factors driving this migration
Lack of opportunities, violence, and political instability are the main causes.The world needs to address these root problems.A short-term
solution could be regional cooperation
Countries could better manage migrant flows by sharing data and joint funding for aid.
