Fri Jan 03 17:25:21 UTC 2025: ## Darien Gap Crossings Plummet by 41 Percent in 2024
**Panama City, Panama** – Panama has announced a significant drop in the number of migrants and asylum seekers crossing the dangerous Darien Gap. President José Raúl Mulino revealed a 41 percent decrease in crossings in 2024 compared to the previous year, attributing the decline to intensified efforts to curb irregular migration.
In 2023, a record-breaking 520,085 individuals traversed the treacherous jungle route. However, this number fell to 302,203 in 2024. The decrease comes amidst increased pressure from the United States, which experienced its own record high of 2.48 million migrant encounters at its southern border in fiscal year 2023. This led to a political backlash in the US, influencing the 2024 election and prompting President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge for mass deportations.
The US saw its own decline in migrant encounters in fiscal year 2024, dropping 14 percent to 2.14 million. This followed the implementation of stricter US asylum policies and increased cooperation with Central American countries, including Panama.
Panama and the US signed an agreement in July to combat illegal migration through the Darien Gap, involving US funding for deportation flights and the establishment of “Safe Mobility Offices” in several Central American countries to dissuade migration. Approximately 1,548 migrants have been repatriated through US-backed flights since the agreement.
Despite the significant reduction in crossings, the perilous journey continues to claim lives. President Mulino reported at least 55 migrant deaths in 2024, along with an estimated 180 abandoned children. The majority of migrants crossing the Darien Gap—approximately 69 percent—originated from Venezuela, a country facing severe economic hardship, human rights abuses, and political instability. Critics argue that addressing the root causes of migration is crucial, rather than solely focusing on border control measures.
First Piper 