Migrant crossings through Panama's Darien Gap down 35% in 2024

Migrants arrive to the migrant reception center after crossing the Darien Gap, in the village of Lajas Blancas, Darien Province, Panama September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun

METETI, Panama (Reuters) - Migrant crossings through the treacherous Darien Gap that connects Panama to Colombia are down by over a third in the year's first nine months, a Panamanian border official said on Thursday, crediting heightened security by the new government.

Between January and Sept. 25, 259,712 migrants arrived in Panama through the Darien, a 35% decrease compared with the same period in 2023, Alexis de Gracia, head of the National Border Service's eastern brigade, said, citing official data.