In an effort to combat transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) that prey on vulnerable migrants and deter irregular migration in the region, Panama and the United States have been intensifying their cooperation, as part of their commitment to regional security.
Through joint strategies, both countries seek to reduce irregular migration by increasing safe, orderly, and humane migration alternatives; improve humanitarian assistance to migrant populations; and curb the threats posed by TCOs that profit from the exploitation of migrants and fuel violence and insecurity.
On February 2, both nations recommitted to collaborating under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on assistance and cooperation in migration matters, originally signed in July 2024. This agreement reinforces the exchange of information; bolsters Panamanian security forces’ capabilities through training, equipment, and logistics support, and pledges to continue to develop strategies to address the flow of migrants and the humanitarian crisis this has caused in the Darién Gap, the Panamanian Presidency said in a statement.
The MOU recognizes that irregular migration flows and the TCOs that prey on those people have global implications, not only because many migrants enter through third countries but also because they are often exploited and exposed to significant risks, including human trafficking, kidnapping, forced criminality, and even death in transit.
“Panama is taking an active role in the regional management of irregular migration, managing to reduce the flow of migrants from all over the world, as part of the cooperation agreements in this area,” Euclides Tapia, professor of International Relations at the University of Panama, told Diálogo.
In mid-March, irregular crossings through the Darién Gap, a remote and treacherous jungle and the only land bridge between South and Central America, fell by 99 percent, according to Panama’s Ministry of Security. Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino said the Darién jungle was no longer a migratory corridor for northbound migrants, adding that only dozens of migrants are attempting the journey compared to the thousands just a year ago.
Critical corridor
The Darién Gap has become a critical point for regional security and a symbol of the migration crisis. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of migrants have transited through this inhospitable terrain, which has no paved roads and can take up to a week to cross by foot. Many have lost their lives and many others were robbed, extorted, and abused by armed groups and criminal gangs.
Nongovernmental organization (NGO) Doctors Without Borders said to have recorded more than 200 cases of sexual violence in the Darién jungle in December 2023 alone, where migrants have described being detained by armed men and assaulted. In this complex environment, irregular migration and organized crime converge with disastrous consequences.
On Colombia’s side of the Darién, notorious TCO Clan del Golfo, also known as the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, which is primarily involved in transnational drug trafficking, controls migrant routes, turning a profit of tens of millions of dollars in 2023 alone, Human Rights Watch indicated in a report.
For its part, Panama has been forcefully pushing back the Clan del Golfo and other criminal groups from the Darién, dealing decisive blows to organized crime. As part of the newly launched security initiative of the Ministry of Public Security, Plan Firmeza, troops of the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) have deployed in the Darién to conduct daily patrols.
“The National Border Service established a series of patrols with personnel patrolling in the jungle, trying to provide the greatest possible coverage and security for the people who are passing through,” Panama’s Director of Migration Services Roger Mojica told BBC. “This has allowed us to focus on a single area and in the end, we saw results: Reports of crimes against migrants such as homicides, robberies, and rapes decreased,” he said, adding that this contributed to the overall reduction in the flow of irregular migrants.
Among other measures, authorities installed fences on key routes in the Darién, channeling the flow of migrants toward specific checkpoints, minimizing the actions of criminal groups. The SENAFRONT uses a biometric system to identify people and establish whether they belong to terrorist groups. The tool facilitates cross-checking with international security institutions. Irregular migrants intercepted are then sent to a shelter where they receive basic care prior to repatriation.
“These measures have allowed Panama to exercise greater control over those who cross this inhospitable area, achieving a significant change compared to previous years,” Tapia said. “Now, a large number of migrants no longer risk crossing this route, when before the flow amounted to thousands and thousands of people every day.”
Panama has also been strengthening maritime surveillance as many migrants enter via boats from Colombia. SENAFRONT agents carry out a daily coastal blockade on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts to intercept migrants in Panamanian waters, the BBC reported. The measures “have discouraged the use of unauthorized routes, which has resulted in a greater organization of irregular migration to prevent situations of insecurity and reduce impacts on the human rights of migrants,” Panama’s Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation Carlos Guevara Mann told BBC.
Greater operational and technological capacity
The United States has been committed to supporting Panama’s capabilities in the fight against human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and drug trafficking with key resources. Recent years’ donations of military assets, such as eight UH-1ST helicopters handed over to the National Air and Naval Service (SENAN) in mid-2024, and 63 Jeeps J8 and spare part package delivered to the SENAFRONT in 2023, have contributed to the response of security forces.
Bilateral cooperation with teams of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) include specialized training, border security, surveillance, control of entry points, migration management, medical care, and humanitarian assistance, with a focus on identifying and caring for vulnerable people. In addition, Panamanian forces and their U.S. counterparts share training on combating human trafficking, investigating networks, countering threats, and protecting victims.
Strengthening borders
“Countries of the region must strengthen their borders as Panama has done and, in addition, sign agreements to exert greater influence over irregular migratory flows,” Tapia said.
For the expert, “governments must reinforce border security and channel migratory flows through specific points, like Panama did. Although this does not guarantee total control, it could significantly reduce the number of migrants who cross without being registered, allowing for a more efficient and secure management of the migratory conflict.”
