UN: As many as 400,000 migrants may cross Darien Gap in 2023
1 year, 8 months ago

UN: As many as 400,000 migrants may cross Darien Gap in 2023

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Two U.N. groups said Thursday that the number of migrants crossing the dangerous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama could soar to as many as 400,000 this year. The groups called it “an unprecedented movement through the Americas.” The United States pledged its forces will assist their Colombian and Panamanian counterparts with intelligence gathering to dismantle smuggling rings operating in the Darien Gap, which is a key route for migrants heading to the U.S. from South America, a senior Biden administration official said Wednesday. U.S. forces could assist in targeting smugglers for arrest and locating “stash houses” where smugglers hold migrants, the official said, without specifying whether the U.S. forces involved would be military or civilian law enforcement. The United States, Panama and Colombia had announced Tuesday an ambitious 60-day campaign to shut down the Darien Gap route.

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History of this topic

Panama says jungle crossing of U.S.-bound migrants down nearly 40%
1 month ago

Panama says jungle crossing of U.S.-bound migrants down nearly 40%

Raw Story  

The number of U.S.-bound migrants passing through the Darien jungle has fallen by 39 percent so far this year, with a total of 294,000 attempting the dangerous journey since January, Panama's president said Thursday. In the same period last year, the number was 482,000 people crossing the jungle that separates Colombia and Panama, according to official data. "There has been …

Biden's migrant 'super-highway' revealed: Millions in US taxpayer cash turned the world's deadliest smuggling route into a 'safe' passage... how TODD BENSMAN was threatened for exposing it
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Biden's migrant 'super-highway' revealed: Millions in US taxpayer cash turned the world's deadliest smuggling route into a 'safe' passage... how TODD BENSMAN was threatened for exposing it

Daily Mail  

CAPURGANA, Colombia – 'Hey! I'd come to Capurgana, a dusty seaside village on the northwest coast of Colombia to investigate international efforts to shut down one of the world's most notorious human smuggling routes – the Darien Gap. They're met on the docks by foot soldiers of the Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a powerful paramilitary drug-trafficking cartel that rules …

Panama deports 29 Colombian migrants from Darien Gap under US deal
4 months ago

Panama deports 29 Colombian migrants from Darien Gap under US deal

Al Jazeera  

First group of migrants has been deported under agreement on migrant repatriations signed with the US in July. Panama has deported 29 Colombians with alleged criminal records who had entered the country through the inhospitable Darien Gap, applying for the first time a deal on migrant repatriations signed with the United States in July. Panama President Jose Raul Mulino, who …

Panama arrests 15 people for smuggling Chinese migrants through the Darien Gap
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Panama arrests 15 people for smuggling Chinese migrants through the Darien Gap

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Border police in Panama said …

10 migrants drown in rushing river crossing Darien Gap in Panama
5 months ago

10 migrants drown in rushing river crossing Darien Gap in Panama

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Ten migrants drowned trying to cross a rushing river in Panama’s Darien Gap that borders Colombia, Panamanian authorities said Wednesday. Before these 10 deaths were announced, at least 29 migrants had died trying to cross the Darien, according to Panama’s border police. The drownings last week came just days after the Panamanian government blocked some popular routes …

Ten people drown in Panama river as migration risks escalate
5 months ago

Ten people drown in Panama river as migration risks escalate

Al Jazeera  

Panama border police agency does not specify nationalities of those who drowned or how they crossed into country. Ten people have drowned in a river near Panama’s border with Colombia, Panamanian border police say, as the rainy season increases the risks migrants and asylum seekers face along a popular migration route. More than 520,000 migrants and asylum seekers crossed the …

Panama president says repatriation of migrants crossing the Darien Gap will be voluntary
5 months ago

Panama president says repatriation of migrants crossing the Darien Gap will be voluntary

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino said Thursday that migrants entering Panama through the treacherous Darien Gap will only be sent back to their countries if they agree to do so, potentially diminishing the impact of stricter immigration enforcement Mulino had pushed. Mulino said by way of explanation Thursday that processes for repatriation are governed by international agreements, …

Panama president says repatriation of migrants crossing the Darien Gap will be voluntary
5 months ago

Panama president says repatriation of migrants crossing the Darien Gap will be voluntary

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Panama's President José Raúl Mulino …

Panama says migration through border with Colombia is down since President Mulino took office
5 months ago

Panama says migration through border with Colombia is down since President Mulino took office

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Migration through the Darien Gap dividing Colombia and Panama has declined significantly this month since Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino took office and ordered authorities to get control of the dense jungle frontier, the country’s border police said Wednesday. The agency’s director general, Jorge Gobea, attributed the reduction to the installation of about 3 miles of barbed …

Panama’s next president meets migrants at the Darien Gap, promises to shut down the perilous route
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Panama’s next president meets migrants at the Darien Gap, promises to shut down the perilous route

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Panama's president-elect José Raúl Mulino …

Panama’s next president says he’ll try to shut down one of the world’s busiest migration routes
7 months, 1 week ago

Panama’s next president says he’ll try to shut down one of the world’s busiest migration routes

LA Times  

Migrants cross a river during their journey through the Darien Gap from Colombia into Panama. As he had suggested during his campaign, the 64-year-old lawyer and former security minister said he would try to end “the Darien odyssey that does not have a reason to exist.” The migrant route through the narrow isthmus grew exponentially in popularity in recent years …

Panama’s next president says he’ll try to shut down one of the world’s busiest migration routes
7 months, 1 week ago

Panama’s next president says he’ll try to shut down one of the world’s busiest migration routes

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Panama is on the verge of a dramatic change to its immigration policy that could reverberate from the dense Darien jungle to the U.S. border. “People migrate for many reasons and frequently don’t have safe, orderly and legal ways to do it,” said Giuseppe Loprete, chief of mission in Panama for the U.N.'s International Organization for Immigration. …

Are the Chinese building a bridge in Central America to fuel America's migrant crisis? Huge structure 'big enough for a column of tanks' springs up in Panama... but no-one is sure who is funding it
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Are the Chinese building a bridge in Central America to fuel America's migrant crisis? Huge structure 'big enough for a column of tanks' springs up in Panama... but no-one is sure who is funding it

Daily Mail  

A huge bridge said to be big enough for a column of tanks to cross is set to spring up in Panama in one of the most dangerous migrant crossing points in the world. Pictured: A video showing the early stages of the bridge's construction is seen in footage from CBN According to reports, the bridge is being built in …

Panama and Colombia fail to protect migrants on Darien jungle route, Human Rights Watch says
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Panama and Colombia fail to protect migrants on Darien jungle route, Human Rights Watch says

Associated Press  

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia and Panama are failing to protect hundreds of thousands of migrants who cross the Darien jungle on their way to the U.S. and have become increasingly vulnerable to robberies and sexual violence, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Wednesday. “Whatever the reason for their journey, migrants and asylum-seekers crossing the Darien Gap are …

Colombia and Panama failing to protect migrants in Darien Gap: HRW
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Colombia and Panama failing to protect migrants in Darien Gap: HRW

Al Jazeera  

Human Rights Watch has urged the two countries to ensure the safety of people crossing the dangerous migration route. Colombia and Panama have failed to protect hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers crossing a dangerous yet popular jungle migration route between the two countries, Human Rights Watch has said. “Whatever the reason for their journey, migrants and asylum …

How migration transformed an Indigenous town in Panama’s Darien Gap
9 months ago

How migration transformed an Indigenous town in Panama’s Darien Gap

Al Jazeera  

The community of Bajo Chiquito has seen its population explode, as migrants and asylum seekers trek north to the US. “It’s a spectacular economic opportunity for them,” said Bram Ebus, the lead author of a report about the Darién Gap from the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit. But we are concerned for many reasons.” Experts say communities like Bajo Chiquito …

Migration through the Darien Gap is cut off following the capture of boat captains in Colombia
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Migration through the Darien Gap is cut off following the capture of boat captains in Colombia

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The flow of thousands of …

Caravan of 3,000 migrants blocks highway in southern Mexico
1 year, 1 month ago

Caravan of 3,000 migrants blocks highway in southern Mexico

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — About 3,000 migrants from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti on Wednesday blocked traffic on one of Mexico’s main southern highways to demand transit or exit visas to reach the U.S. border. The contingent, including many women and children, later stopped walking at Huixtla, another town in the southern state of Chiapas, where they tried to get …

Panama, Costa Rica agree to a plan to speed migrants passing through from Darien Gap
1 year, 2 months ago

Panama, Costa Rica agree to a plan to speed migrants passing through from Darien Gap

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Panama and Costa Rica announced a plan to quickly bus thousands of migrants through Panama to the Costa Rican border, as the countries continue to grapple with a steady increase in the number of migrants moving through the jungle-clad Darien Gap. Panama hopes the new plan will disrupt the smuggling networks that charge migrants to get through …

Panama, Costa Rica agree to a plan to speed migrants passing through from Darien Gap
1 year, 2 months ago

Panama, Costa Rica agree to a plan to speed migrants passing through from Darien Gap

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Migrants pass quickly through once impenetrable Darien jungle as governments scramble for answers
1 year, 2 months ago

Migrants pass quickly through once impenetrable Darien jungle as governments scramble for answers

Associated Press  

BAJO CHIQUITO, Panama — Rain-swollen rivers only briefly slowed the otherwise uninterrupted flow of migrants through this jungle-covered border area separating Colombia and Panama and by midweek another 2,000 bedraggled migrants stumbled out of the Darien jungle. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas termed “strict consequences” for those who do not avail themselves of expanded legal pathways to enter the U.S. …

Migrants pass quickly through once impenetrable Darien jungle as governments scramble for answers
1 year, 2 months ago

Migrants pass quickly through once impenetrable Darien jungle as governments scramble for answers

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

A record 400K migrants have crossed the treacherous Darién jungle to reach the U.S.
1 year, 2 months ago

A record 400K migrants have crossed the treacherous Darién jungle to reach the U.S.

NPR  

A record 400K migrants have crossed the treacherous Darién jungle to reach the U.S. Enlarge this image toggle caption Manuel Rueda Manuel Rueda BAJO CHIQUITO, Panama — Bajo Chiquito is a small Indigenous village built along a river. Enlarge this image toggle caption Manuel Rueda Manuel Rueda But thousands of migrants from South America, Africa and Asia are making the …

Panama to increase deportations in face of record migration through the Darien Gap
1 year, 3 months ago

Panama to increase deportations in face of record migration through the Darien Gap

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Panama will increase infrastructure in the jungle area along its shared border with Colombia known as the Darien Gap — as well as ramp up deportations — to contain a record-breaking flow of migrants passing through there this year, Panama’s immigration chief said Friday. National Immigration Authority Director Samira Gozaine said President Laurentino Cortizo had authorized hiring …

Panama to increase deportations, efforts to halt Darien Gap crossings
1 year, 3 months ago

Panama to increase deportations, efforts to halt Darien Gap crossings

Al Jazeera  

Record numbers have crossed the Darien Gap, a strip of jungle between Panama and Colombia once seen as impassable. The Central American nation of Panama has announced new measures to crack down on migrants and asylum seekers entering the country, as a record number of people attempt to cross the inhospitable Darien Gap. On Friday, Panamanian authorities said that they …

Panama eyes new measures as flow of migrants through Darien Gap hits 300,000 so far this year
1 year, 3 months ago

Panama eyes new measures as flow of migrants through Darien Gap hits 300,000 so far this year

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — The government of Panama said Thursday it will launch a new campaign to stem the flow of migrants through the dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap, after crossings hit 300,000 so far this year. The plan, named “Darien is a jungle, not a road,” will be launched next week, officials said, but they could barely hide their frustration with …

Panama eyes new measures as flow of migrants through Darien Gap hits 300,000 so far this year
1 year, 4 months ago

Panama eyes new measures as flow of migrants through Darien Gap hits 300,000 so far this year

LA Times  

Migrants sit under a sign marking the Panama-Colombia border during their trek across the Darien Gap in May. The government of Panama said Thursday it will launch a new campaign to stem the flow of migrants through the dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap, after crossings hit 300,000 so far this year. The plan, named “Darien is a jungle, not a road,” …

Panama criticizes Colombia for not helping stem record flow of migrants through Darien Gap
1 year, 4 months ago

Panama criticizes Colombia for not helping stem record flow of migrants through Darien Gap

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Panama’s top immigration official lashed out at Colombia on Sunday, saying it is not helping to slow the record flow of migrants through the dangerous jungle of the Darien Gap. Immigration Service Director Samira Gozaine said that in recent days, between 2,600 and 2,800 migrants per day have been moving through the gap, which connects North and …

Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed Panama’s Darien Gap so far this year, more than in all of 2022
1 year, 4 months ago

Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed Panama’s Darien Gap so far this year, more than in all of 2022

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — The number of migrants crossing Panama’s dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap swelled to almost 250,000 in the first seven months of 2023, surpassing the number that crossed in all of 2022, officials said Friday. Panama’s National Immigration service said 248,901 migrants had made the trip through July 31, and that 21% of those crossing were children or adolescents. …

Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed Panama's Darien Gap so far this year, more than in all of 2022
1 year, 4 months ago

Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed Panama's Darien Gap so far this year, more than in all of 2022

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The number of migrants crossing …

Treacherous Darien Gap migration route sees record number of crossings
1 year, 4 months ago

Treacherous Darien Gap migration route sees record number of crossings

Al Jazeera  

Nearly 250,000 people have risked their lives crossing a perilous stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama. The number of migrants and asylum seekers who have crossed an inhospitable stretch of Central American jungle known as the Darien Gap so far this year has surpassed the record total set in 2022, according to Panama’s government. “We are facing a humanitarian …

Panama’s Darien Gap a magnet for tourists, ‘hell’ for migrants
1 year, 5 months ago

Panama’s Darien Gap a magnet for tourists, ‘hell’ for migrants

Al Jazeera  

Deep in the Panamanian jungle, Venezuelan migrant Franca Ramirez was scrambling to reach higher ground as a rushing river broke its banks when something caught his eye: a group of young men snapping photos of the landscape. It is known as the “gap” on Panama’s Darien isthmus because it is the only missing section, running about 97km, on the Pan-American …

How Panama plans to stop migrant-smuggling through the perilous Darien Gap
1 year, 6 months ago

How Panama plans to stop migrant-smuggling through the perilous Darien Gap

LA Times  

Haitian migrants wade through water as they cross the Darien Gap from Colombia to Panama in hopes of reaching the U.S. Panama has unveiled a new effort to control illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap that spans its eastern border with Colombia. In April, as the U.S. prepared to lift pandemic-related restrictions that had allowed authorities to turn back …

EXPLAINER: Panama launches operation against smugglers in Darien Gap
1 year, 6 months ago

EXPLAINER: Panama launches operation against smugglers in Darien Gap

Associated Press  

NICANOR, Panama — Panama unveiled a new effort to control illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap that spans its eastern border with Colombia on Friday. So in April, as the U.S. government prepared to lift pandemic-related restrictions that had allowed authorities to turn back asylum seekers at the border, it announced together with Panama and Colombia increased efforts in …

Migrants crossing dense Darien jungle at Colombia-Panama border find increasingly organized route
1 year, 7 months ago

Migrants crossing dense Darien jungle at Colombia-Panama border find increasingly organized route

Associated Press  

ACANDI, Colombia — Migrants who have hiked into the dense Darien jungle covering the Colombia-Panama border while the U.S. government moved to lift pandemic-related asylum restrictions have found an increasingly organized migration route. The Darien Gap is the most imposing physical barrier for migrants heading north until they reach the U.S. border. But on the Colombian side of the border, …

Migrants flow north to US border ahead of policy changes
1 year, 7 months ago

Migrants flow north to US border ahead of policy changes

Associated Press  

BAJO CHIQUITO, Panama — The long wooden boats packed with migrants in orange life jackets arrived one after another, pushed down the Tuquesa river by outboard motors. On May 11, the United States government will end pandemic-related restrictions on people requesting asylum at the border — also known as Title 42, under which migrants have been expelled from the U.S. …

Darién Gap migration: On one of the world’s most dangerous migrant routes, a cartel makes millions off the American dream
1 year, 8 months ago

Darién Gap migration: On one of the world’s most dangerous migrant routes, a cartel makes millions off the American dream

CNN  

Editor’s Note: “The Trek: A Migrant Trail to America” premiered on April 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN’s new Sunday primetime series, The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper Darién Gap, Colombia and Panama — There is always a crowd, but it can feel very lonely. “It’s all of us, or no one,” added Manuel, on the decision to bring …

US would support Colombian, Panama forces to slow migration
1 year, 8 months ago

US would support Colombian, Panama forces to slow migration

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — United States forces will assist their Colombian and Panamanian counterparts with intelligence gathering to dismantle smuggling rings operating in the dense jungle of the Darien Gap, a key route for migrants heading to the U.S. from South America, a senior Biden administration official said Wednesday. U.S. forces could assist in targeting smugglers for arrest and locating “stash houses” …

US, Panama and Colombia aim to stop Darien Gap migration
1 year, 8 months ago

US, Panama and Colombia aim to stop Darien Gap migration

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — The United States, Panama and Colombia announced Tuesday that they will launch a 60-day campaign aimed at halting illegal migration through the treacherous Darien Gap, where the flow of migrants has multiplied this year. According to Panama’s government, more than 87,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap in the first three months of the year, mostly from Venezuela, …

US-led plan to ‘end’ migration through Darien Gap spurs questions
1 year, 8 months ago

US-led plan to ‘end’ migration through Darien Gap spurs questions

Al Jazeera  

Deal with Panama, Colombia seeks to stem ‘illicit crossings’ of dangerous jungle route used by US-bound asylum seekers. The US Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday that a deal had been reached with the Panamanian and Colombian authorities to address “irregular migration” through the so-called Darien Gap. How exactly do they intend to end migration thru the Darien Gap …

US, Panama and Colombia aim to stop Darien Gap migration
1 year, 8 months ago

US, Panama and Colombia aim to stop Darien Gap migration

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The United States, Panama and …

Big jump in migrants crossing Panama’s dangerous Darien Gap
1 year, 9 months ago

Big jump in migrants crossing Panama’s dangerous Darien Gap

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Panama’s government said Wednesday that 50,000 migrants crossed the treacherous Darien Gap linking Colombia and Panama in the first two months of 2023, five times more than in the same period last year. The People’s Defense Office said 9,683 migrants younger than 18 crossed the jungle-clad Darien route in January and February. The office and U.N. rights …

Panama reports a sharp increase in migrants crossing the dangerous Darien Gap
1 year, 9 months ago

Panama reports a sharp increase in migrants crossing the dangerous Darien Gap

LA Times  

Ecuadorian migrants cross the Darien Gap from Colombia into Panama in October, hoping to reach the United States. Panama’s government said Wednesday that 50,000 migrants crossed the treacherous Darien Gap linking Colombia and Panama in the first two months of 2023, five times more than in the same period last year. The People’s Defense Office said 9,683 migrants younger than …

Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed treacherous Darien in 2022
1 year, 11 months ago

Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed treacherous Darien in 2022

Associated Press  

PANAMA CITY — Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed the treacherous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama in 2022 on their way north, a figure that was nearly double the number from a year earlier, the International Organization for Migration said Tuesday. At least 36 migrants died during the journey, but the United Nations’ migration agency said the real number is likely …

Behind the Lens: On migration paths in Latin America
2 years ago

Behind the Lens: On migration paths in Latin America

Associated Press  

Associated Press photographers talk about their 2022 assignments, and share some of the stories behind the images. ___ THE PLACE: Darien Gap, on the border of Colombia and Panama THE STORY: Tracking the path of migration THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Fernando Vergara ___ ON WHO HE ENCOUNTERED: The first time we were in the Darien Gap, we were covering the migration crisis …

The Darién Gap: A deadly extension of the US border
2 years, 1 month ago

The Darién Gap: A deadly extension of the US border

Al Jazeera  

This year, a record number of United States-bound migrants and refugees have risked their lives to cross the Darién Gap, the 66-mile mountainous stretch of spectacularly inhospitable jungle between Colombia and Panama. I had the opportunity to hear first hand of the horrors of the Darién when, in July 2021, I was briefly imprisoned for visa irregularities in the women’s …

Thousands wait in Colombian town on trek to reach Darien Gap
2 years, 2 months ago

Thousands wait in Colombian town on trek to reach Darien Gap

Al Jazeera  

Authorities warn of serious migration crisis as record numbers of people, mostly from Venezuela, try to cross jungle passage. Panama’s National Migration Service said earlier this week that 151,582 migrants and refugees had made the crossing between January and September — a record that surpassed the 133,726 crossings recorded for all of 2021. Meanwhile, IOM and the United Nations Refugee …

Number of migrants crossing dangerous Darien Gap soars: UNHCR
2 years, 8 months ago

Number of migrants crossing dangerous Darien Gap soars: UNHCR

Al Jazeera  

UN refugee agency says number of people taking Panamanian jungle route tripled so far this year compared with 2021. The number of people crossing Panama’s Darien Gap, the notorious and lawless route taken by migrants and refugees trying to head north to the United States, has almost tripled compared with the same period last year, according to the United Nations …

Migrants brave perilous Darien Gap in desperate trek to US
3 years ago

Migrants brave perilous Darien Gap in desperate trek to US

Al Jazeera  

Bogota, Colombia — Manguenlove Bellegarde gazed up in disbelief at the steep mountainside he had to climb at the beginning of his journey through one of the world’s most treacherous frontiers. “On the third day, we passed a Panamanian military base, so I thought we were close… Oh my God, it took four more days.” Heavy rains added more time …

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