By Waldaniel Amadis | 2024-09-10

SÃO PAULO -- The dream of many Brazilians to reach the United States has faded along the perilous and unforgiving journey through the treacherous border between Colombia and Panama.

The Darien Gap left a lasting scar on Marcos and Jésica, two Brazilians who choose to withhold their last names, after enduring the harrowing experience of attempting to cross the Colombian-Panamanian border.

The Brazilian educator couple shared their perilous journey with Entorno, describing the "desolate silence" and flashes of violence they endured along the way.

Fortunately, they made it back to Brazil to share their story -- a fate not shared by many who lost their lives and were buried in the dense tropical forest.

What began as an adventure to explore parts of South and Central America quickly turned into a nightmare when they fell into the hands of criminals shortly after entering Panamanian territory.

Their backpacks, along with the money they had set aside for the journey, were stolen.

Stranded without resources, the two teachers, who had departed from Porto Alegre with hopes of reaching the United States, were forced to return to Colombia. There, they resorted to begging in order to make their way back to Medellín, where they finally received assistance from the Brazilian consulate.

"We received help from many kind people, and we believe there are more good than bad in both Colombia and Panama. Unfortunately, we crossed paths with the wrong ones -- they took everything from us. I was not sexually assaulted only because two women were among them," Jessica, a teacher and psychologist, shared with Entorno.

Marcos shared that the support they received in Colombia -- both materially and, more importantly, emotionally -- after enduring the violence in Panama gave them much to reflect on.

"It's not worth taking such extreme risks, even if circumstances and the desire for a better life in another country push you toward a decision like this," emphasized the social science graduate.

​​Organized crime

Despite vigilant efforts by authorities, some international human trafficking gangs use Brazil as a launch point for illegal immigration to the United States.

In recent years, the number of migrants taking the route through the Darien Gap has risen, with traffickers exploiting it to move Brazilian and other migrants who use Brazil as a launch point to reach the United States.

Camped out at São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport, the migrants are hoping to enter Brazil as refugees before starting their journey to the United States.

Most of the migrants now arriving are from India, Nepal and Vietnam, following previous waves from Haiti, Venezuela, Syria and Afghanistan. According to the Federal Police, 97% of these immigrants have no intention of staying in Brazil.

For these migrants, Brazil is merely the starting point of a lengthy journey that traverses up to 10 countries, with the United States as their ultimate destination.

The Federal Police have identified several routes used by migrants to exit Brazil and attempt entry into the United States.

International human trafficking gangs are active on all of these routes.

According to Brazilian authorities, criminal activities typically begin in the migrant's home country before they attempt to emigrate.

Traffickers advertise their travel services online, demand payment upfront and promise that a member of their network will assist with each leg of the journey through various countries.

Reaching the destination often does not end the debt owed to the traffickers, Cristiano Eloi, director of the Federal Police's Division for the Repression of Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants, noted.

Many of these individuals are coerced into drug consumption and trafficking.

"Those who can't pay the full fee demanded by a smuggler often find themselves exploited as laborers once they reach the United States. To us, this constitutes human trafficking," Eloi said at the end of August.

The dangers of the jungle

Human rights violations and poverty are key factors driving migrants to leave their home countries, Professor Jorge Boucinhas, a migration specialist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Brazil's leading business school, told Jornal Nacional in early September.

"Traveling through much of South America and Central America, and facing numerous risks and harsh conditions, underscores the profound desperation of those willing to endure such dangers," Boucinhas explained.

One of the most perilous segments of the journey to the United States is the Darien jungle, which lies between Colombia and Panama.

Migrants traverse mountains and rivers, facing threats from criminal groups, wildlife, tropical diseases and harsh weather conditions.

The approximately 100km-long journey typically takes between three and six days to complete.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported hundreds of cases of sexual abuse in the region, predominantly affecting women and girls.

In July, Panama and the United States signed an agreement to curb migration through the jungle.

As a result of this pact, several flights have departed carrying individuals being deported to their countries of origin.

A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report estimates that 500,000 migrants crossed the Darien jungle in 2023. Many of these individuals, as HRW Brazil director César Muñoz told Entorno, fell victim to robbery, extortion and rape.

Muñoz indicated that this figure could rise to 800,000 this year, driven by concerns over tightening US immigration policies and the controversial outcome of Venezuela's elections, after which Nicolas Maduro claimed a third presidential term.