Outside the Lajas Blancas migrant camp in southern Panama, wooden shops are closed and no longer operational.
Six months ago, the camp was bustling with activity as hundreds of people passed through daily, seeking humanitarian aid after crossing the jungles of the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama.
However, migration through the gap has significantly slowed down and many migrants are now returning home.
Adriangela Contreras was among the 300,000 migrants who successfully made the crossing in 2024, despite dangerous conditions on the trail.
She arrived at Lajas Blancas shortly before Panamanian authorities began cracking down on migration, introducing measures such as barbed wire and biometric tests.
With a $6 million agreement with the US, many migrants were deported back to their home countries. However, Contreras and others continued their journey to southern Mexico, relying on odd jobs for transportation.
But when Donald Trump shut down the CBP One app used by asylum seekers, Contreras felt compelled to return to her home country. She expressed her disappointment, as her decision to migrate was primarily for her family’s well-being.
The CBP One shutdown and Panamanian controls have largely halted migration through the Darién Gap.
At the end of February, only 485 migrants, the majority coming from the north, remained at Lajas Blancas. The Panamanian government has struggled to accommodate the reverse flow of migrants.
Oscar Ramírez, a 52-year-old Venezuelan, arrived at Lajas Blancas and faced hardships in Mexico, including being robbed and held captive. Upon reaching the US, he was detained and deported back to Mexico.
Many migrants, including Contreras, were promised flights to Cúcuta, a Colombian border city, but these flights never materialized. Some migrants resorted to using small boats to return, resulting in tragic incidents such as a capsizing that claimed the life of a Venezuelan girl.
To address this, the Panamanian government has established a new route, bussing migrants to Miramar and then boarding them onto ferries.
Jessica Álvarez, who experienced a frightening boat ride, eventually arrived in Necoclí in Colombian territory. Contreras and her daughter remain stranded in Necoclí, facing difficulties in returning to Venezuela to reunite with Contreras’ son.
The presidents of Panama and Colombia will discuss migration during their meeting on March 28. Humanitarian aid agencies are leaving Lajas Blancas, which is set to close in the coming weeks. Any migrants arriving via the Darién Gap will face deportation.
Ramírez, who had the funds to return to Barinas, expressed his happiness to be home, even without his truck. He acknowledged that the American dream was just that – a dream.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/26/families-darien-gap-immigration
