Although Latin American migration had used the Darien Gap for many years, 2023 saw the route becoming an “option” for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to reach North America. The figures show that more than 500 thousand people crossed the dangerous stretch of jungle, with Venezuela nationals accounting for a big part of the staggering increase in the figures.

Laura Dib, director of the Venezuela Program at the Washington Office on Latin American (WOLA), explained that the numbers of Venezuelans crossing the Darién gap show that the migration crisis did not stop in 2023.

“The situation in the Darién gap is devastating. According to the Colombian migration agency, more than half a million people transited through the country in 2023, almost 400 thousand of them Venezuela nationals. This indicates two things; first, people continue to flee Venezuela as very acute humanitarian needs remain in the country, and for the first time, this wave of migration is not originating from Venezuela rather than other countries in the region [where Venezuela nationals had previously migrated]”.

Ms. Dib indicated that WOLA had the opportunity to conduct on-site visits to the Colombian towns of Necoclí, Turbo and Apartadó. “There we saw how entire families crossed the Darién gap even though their children had a Temporary Protected Status. Children enrolled in school enjoy this protection, unlike their parents who are not allowed to work legally in the country.”

According to the WOLA organizations, this situation shows the persistence of a Complex Humanitarian emergency in Venezuela and the lack of will across the region to advance integration measures in each country.

The Darién gap, a nightmare that became an “option”

The transit of people through the Darien Gap has become a very lucrative criminal industry. Organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, guerrilla groups and many others now offer “packages” to cross the jungle to people heading to the United States under highly risky conditions.

“The situation is tragic from beginning to end because those who take the desperate measure of crossing Central America risk their lives. For example, Doctors Without Borders reported to have treated 676 victims of sexual violence in the Darién gap in 2023.”

Added to the perils of the jungle -an area with no permanent roads or routes-, armed individuals are also taking the law into their own hands, taking advantage of the absence of the Colombian government.

“In Necoclí we saw little institutional presence of the Colombian government. In addition, people had no idea of the complexity of the route or that they had to cross seven more countries to reach the United States. “We also found a lot of misinformation in the sense that people do not know how the US system operates or how to use the CBP One app.”

Adherence to the principle of non-refoulement

For WOLA, the authorities of the different host countries should bear in mind the principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international refugee law. According to the organization, people in need of protection due to political persecution or any other reason should be welcomed.

“States shall not return a refugee to their country of origin or to any other where they may face deportation because their life is in danger in Venezuela. We are not only talking about people victims of political persecution but also people living with HIV, cancer or kidney disease, to name a few, who cannot return because it would mean a death sentence.”

Laura Dib, director of the Venezuela Program at the Washington Office on Latin America, added that the organization welcomes the negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition with the facilitation of Norway but rejects the inclusion of deportation flights in the agreements.

“Human rights standards prohibit mass or collective deportations. This process must be individualized and guarantees must be given to due process in cases of expulsion. There must be an evaluation of each case to establish the risk of returning a person to their country of origin.”

Translated by José Rafael Medina