Venezuelan Girl Dies in Panama Boat Capsize, 20 Rescued
Carti, Panama – A Venezuelan girl has died and 20 others were rescued after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Panama, the country’s border police said Saturday.
The Senafront, Panama’s border security force, said the boat sank overnight Friday to Saturday off the coast of the Guna Yala indigenous province, in northeastern Panama, "due to high waves caused by bad weather." The United Nations Children’s Fund expressed regret over the child’s death and called on authorities to ensure the safe return of migrants.
The boat was carrying 19 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia, including the eight-year-old girl, as well as two smugglers, according to a statement from Senafront. They were returning from Mexico and other Central American countries via this route to avoid the dangerous Darien jungle on the border with Colombia, after being prevented from entering the United States by President Donald Trump’s expulsion policies.
An Agence France-Presse correspondent captured images Friday of several boats with dozens of migrants on board departing from the rudimentary dock in the town of Carti, where the capsized boat had left from. "What else could we do but return because we couldn’t go on any longer? We’ve been in this situation for over 15 days, traveling all the way from Mexico here" to return, a Venezuelan migrant, who preferred not to be identified, said at the port on Friday.
Senafront said that initially three boats were supposed to set off together for La Miel, in Puerto Obaldia in the northeastern part of the country, the last Panamanian town on the border with Colombia, but that two of them suspended the journey due to "unfavorable conditions."
"One of the drivers ignored the warning and continued on. This decision led to the unfortunate incident," the border police added. From Puerto Obaldia, the migrants were to take another boat to continue their journey to Colombia, and some Venezuelans to their home country.
Since Trump took office on January 20, hundreds of South American migrants have begun returning, passing through shelters in several countries, on foot, by bus, or by boat.
Dangerous Journey
The journey through the Darien Gap, a remote and inhospitable region of jungle and swamps that straddles the border between Panama and Colombia, is considered one of the most dangerous in the world for migrants.
In 2019, at least 58 migrants died crossing the Darien Gap, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The majority were from Haiti, Cuba, and Venezuela.
The migrants often face dangers from armed groups, smugglers, and wild animals, as well as the harsh terrain and lack of food and water.
Humanitarian Crisis
The surge in migrants returning to their home countries from the United States has created a humanitarian crisis in several Latin American countries, including Panama, which has been overwhelmed by the influx.
Panama has set up shelters to provide food, medical care, and other assistance to the migrants. But the country has also called on the international community for help, saying it cannot cope with the situation alone.
Regional Cooperation
In response to the crisis, several countries in Latin America have agreed to work together to address the issue. In December 2020, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador signed an agreement to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants and to strengthen border controls.
The United States has also been called upon to do more to help the migrants, but the Trump administration has taken a hard line on immigration, and has refused to accept most asylum seekers at the border.
Conclusion
The death of the Venezuelan girl and the capsizing of the boat off the coast of Panama are a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by migrants who are fleeing violence and poverty in their home countries. The international community must work together to address the root causes of migration and to provide safe and humane conditions for those who are forced to leave their homes.
