Nearly 250,000 migrants crossed treacherous Darien in 2022

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Officials say nearly 250,000 migrants crossed the treacherous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama in 2022 on their way north. That figure is nearly double the number a year earlier. The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration said Tuesday that at least 36 migrants died during the journey. The agency says the real number is likely even higher because some of those who perish in the deep jungle are never recovered. In 2021, at least 133,000 mostly Haitian migrants crossed the Darien. Last year, Venezuelans dominated the flow with more than 150,000 crossings. Panamanian authorities say they still don’t have data for crossings during the first two weeks of January.