The authorities point out that there is a notable increase in the number of people compared to 2023.
Panama has warned of a possible influx of migrants through the Darien gap due to the institutional crisis in Haiti. The Panamanian Minister of Defense, Juan Manuel Pino, communicated worrying figures on the increase observed in the territory.
In recent months, Haiti has experienced a worrying escalation of violence. Embassies and representations in the country have also evacuated their staff for security reasons. However, the public order situation in Haiti also concerns Panama, since seven people have already been arrested with Interpol notices in recent months.
The names of the seven Haitians have not been released. The newspaper promises to return to the details.
Additionally, many people have decided to move to other countries in search of new opportunities and peace of mind. However, Panama is already on alert, because compared to 2023, migration has increased by around 20,000 people.
“We already have more than 85,000 migrants. And if I compare with last year, I think there are already more than 20,000. More than 20,000 compared to the historic year of last year. And the problems are more numerous in the south. But Panama is only a transit country. Panama cannot assimilate this problem. We are a very small country,” Panamanian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Pino said at a news conference.
