Unprecedented Surge in Migrants Crossing Darién Gap

A record number of migrants, including Venezuelans, Haitians, and Ecuadoreans, are risking the dangerous journey through the Darién Gap, a dense jungle between Panama and Colombia, in an attempt to reach the US. Over 250,000 people have crossed the wilderness on foot in the first seven months of 2023, with a fifth of them being children. The journey poses risks from criminal gangs, extreme weather, and wild animals. The Red Cross has set up aid stations, but many migrants arrive in devastating conditions. At least 36 people died attempting the crossing last year, and drownings are a major cause of death in the area. Efforts to curb migration through the Darién Gap have had limited success, and the number of migrants in July was particularly concerning.