Insecurity hits irregular migrants who decided to cross the Darien Gap jungle on their way to the United States, as revealed by the Institute of the Panama Canal and International Studies (ICUP).
One of the receiving stations for travelers in David City, Chiriquí province, stated that 42.5% of interviewees have experienced theft of personal documents or money during their journey.
ICUP Deputy Director Pablo Navarro told La Estrella de Panamá that among 80 polled, 10% said they´ve been raped, and 3.75% were involved in fights.
Racism in the shelters is an existing problem, Navarro added.
The Ministry of Security (MINSEG) reported that over 187,000 people have crossed the borders in 2022, in a journey in which men, women, and children risk their lives daily to reach their futures. (https://www.plenglish.com/news/2022/11/29/insecurity-hits-irregular-migrants-heading-for-u-s/)
