CITY OF VATICAN.- He Pope Francisco urged the international community this Sunday to provide a “humanitarian response” to the difficult journey of thousands Migrants who are forced to traverse the risky jungle DarienLocated between Colombia and Panama, on the way to the United States.
During the traditional Angelus prayer, the Argentine pope expressed concern about the thousands of migrants trying to cross the country's dense vegetation DarienMany of them are families with children. In his message, he denounced the dangerous conditions they face, who are often deceived by false promises of short and safe routes and are victims of abuse and robbery.
The Jesuit leader, who celebrated his 87th birthday this Sunday, called urgently for a “humanitarian response” to this situation. He also called for a “joint effort” by both the countries directly affected and the international community to prevent this tragic reality from going unnoticed.
Half a million migrants
As Panama's Security Minister Juan Manuel Pino reported in early December, more than half a million migrants have crossed the inhospitable Darién jungle so far this year, setting a record that doubles the numbers for all of 2022. .
The natural border of Darién, which separates Colombia from Panama, covers an area of 266 km and has an area of 575,000 hectares. The Darién Gap has become one of the most dangerous corridors for migrants seeking to reach the United States from South America through Central America and Mexico.
In addition to the natural challenges, those who venture on this journey have reported robberies, kidnappings and rapes.
SPRING: With information from AFP