Human Rights Watch stated in a report Wednesday that Colombia and Panama are failing to protect and safeguard hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers crossing the Darién Gap. The report, entitled “Neglected in the Jungle: Inadequate Protection and Assistance for Migrants and Asylum Seekers Crossing the Darién Gap,” is the second in a series addressing migration issues within the Darién Gap.

The report states that, in 2023, over half a million people crossed the Darién Gap, often on their journey to the US. This figure has grown exponentially in recent years, from just a few thousand in 2019 and 2020, to 133,726 in 2022, doubling to just over 248,000 in 2022 and doubling again in 2023. The people crossing are made up of a range of nationalities, including Venezuelans, Haitians, Ecuadorians and those from Asia and Africa.

Panama has previously been accused of hostility towards migrants and this report states that the Panamanian government’s policies restrict free movement within the country, with the aim to promptly transfer migrants and asylum seekers to Costa Rica, rather than “addressing their needs or ensuring that they can exercise their right to seek asylum.” Panama suspended the work of Médecins Sans Frontières in the region in March, further putting people at risk. Likewise, Colombia was criticised for lacking clarity in its strategies and limited presence in the region, leaving people vulnerable to armed groups. The report details several stories of those crossing through the region, including accounts of kidnap, sexual abuse and extreme violence.

The Darién Gap, a geographical region which spans the border between Colombia and Panama, is known as one of the most dangerous routes in the world. It is the only point at which the Pan-American Highway, a road that stretches some 30,000 kilometres, stops. With recent crackdowns on alternative routes by sea and air, many migrants and asylum seekers feel they are left with no option but to cross through the region, comprised of over sixty miles of steep, treacherous terrain, dense rainforest and swampland. As well as the unforgivable terrain, people are also at risk of disease and violence and abuse from gangs operating in the area. Hundreds of people are believed to have disappeared.

The report calls on the governments of Panama and Colombia to address the situation in the Darién Gap, including undertaking efforts to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for violence and support those reporting such crimes. They urge them to work with humanitarian organisations in the region, as well as local communities to protect the rights of migrants and asylum seekers crossing through the area.

Juanita Goebertus, the Americas Director at Human Rights Watch, said “Colombian and Panamanian authorities can and should do more to ensure the rights of migrants and asylum seekers crossing their countries, as well as of local communities that have experienced years of neglect.”