Quixote Center Initiates Programming in Panama |
"I was horrified by the government-run shelter located near Panama's southern border, in Darién. They called it a shelter, but it looks like every other refugee camp I have ever visited, except for less space. Dedicated only last fall, with funds from the United States and the EU, it has a daily capacity of 500 migrants. They are receiving at least twice that according to official numbers, and probably more like 4 times that, according to the officials we spoke with. Most are from Haiti, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
"Migrants end up at the camp after traveling through the treacherous Darién Gap, one of the most dangerous sections of the migrant trail north. Migrants report killings, sexual assault, robberies, and extortion, in addition to a challenging and deadly wilderness crossing." Continue Reading Here |