In the small river port of Lajas Blancas, Panama, what was once a bustling hub of migrant activity has now turned desolate. Just over a year ago, the area was crowded with people trying to travel to the United States. Migrants crossing the treacherous Darien Gap – the rugged jungle pathway linking Colombia and Panama – hit record numbers in 2023, with over 500,000 individuals making this arduous trek in search of a better future.
Enduring several days of arduous travel through rainforest terrains, these vulnerable migrants would board narrow wooden boats to traverse river pathways. Typically, they would disembark at Lajas Blancas, squeezing into crowded camps with other families before taking buses northward across Panama, continuing their journey. However, migration significantly decreased following U.S. President Donald Trump’s implementation of strict asylum policies at the U.S.-Mexico border. This decline continued under the final year of Joe Biden’s administration, with only a handful of migrants arriving weekly in Lajas Blancas.
Faced with limited options, some have been forced to backtrack, leading to a “reverse flow” of Venezuelan migrants who venture along Panama’s Caribbean coast by boat to return home. Last month, Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, confirmed the closure of the Darien border, effectively resolving the migration issue in Lajas Blancas. While journalists had previously been barred from key locations along the former migration routes, authorities recently allowed limited access. However, this permission was quickly revoked under vague claims of security concerns.
Despite that, reporters witnessed the once-busy camp now standing deserted, with only the occasional boat landing on the riverbank. Makeshift shops that previously provided necessities to travelers are now empty, and organizations like the Red Cross and UNICEF that offered aid have ceased operations. Panama’s border police now tightly regulate access to the port, and the government’s messaging has long discouraged migrants from making the journey.
Only a small number of migrants, primarily from Venezuela, Angola, and Nigeria, remain at the Lajas Blancas camp, sleeping on the dusty ground under police watch. Among them is 33-year-old Venezuelan Hermanie Blanco, who arrived shortly after Trump took office. Fleeing political and economic instability in Venezuela with hopes of U.S. asylum, Blanco reconsidered after navigating the Darien Gap and opted to request refuge in Panama. However, she has been stranded for months in the nearly abandoned area, waiting for a response, lamenting that support groups like Doctors Without Borders no longer visit.
A sign at Lajas Blancas starkly reminds migrants in multiple languages: “Darien is not a route, it’s a jungle.” As countries across Latin America grapple with pressures from the Trump administration to curb northward migration, the U.S. has recently acknowledged Panama’s efforts to reduce border crossings through the Darién, with a reported 98% decrease according to a State Department spokesperson.