Darién Gap Migration Halted, Thousands Stranded Amid Crackdown

Over 3,000 migrants are stranded in remote towns after Colombia arrests boat captains, raising concerns of a public health crisis.

Colombian navy arrests of two boat captains for trafficking migrants have halted migration through the Darién Gap, stranding over 3,000 people.
The stranded individuals are in remote Caribbean towns, with at least 850 sleeping in the streets or on the beach, raising concerns of a public health emergency.
Migrants, primarily from Latin America but also from Africa and China, use the Darién Gap as a route to the US, facing dangers such as robbery, sexual violence, and death.
The Biden administration has pressured Colombia to stem the flow of migrants, with migration set to be a key issue in the upcoming US presidential elections.
Local economies benefit from the migration industry, but the crackdown has left many migrants, including families, in dire situations.