Deep in the Panamanian jungle, Venezuelan migrant Franca Ramirez was scrambling to reach higher ground in the Darien Gap as a rushing river broke its banks when a group of young men, snapping photos of the landscape, caught his eye. They were tourists
MEXICO CITY, July 22 - Deep in the Panamanian jungle, Venezuelan migrant Franca Ramirez was scrambling to reach higher ground as a rushing river broke its banks, he said, when something caught his eye: a group of young men, snapping photos of the landscape.They were more than a day's journey into the Darien Gap.
For decades, only the most intrepid of travelers ventured into this once impenetrable forest - dodging guerrillas and bandits; hunting for rare orchids or the great green macaw; and seeking the thrill of being one of the few brave enough to enter the wilderness where the road ends. At least 137 migrants died or went missing, including at least 13 minors, according to the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration .
Marco Wanske, a 31-year-old German who went on a 12-day jungle trek in January, said everyone in his group sustained minor injuries such as "jungle rot," a fungus that affects the feet, and one person had to be carried out by the group on the last day because she was unable to walk.Kisbel Garcia, a migrant from Venezuela, said she paid over $4,000 to a guide who promised to lead her and her four children and mother-in-law safely through the jungle.
Many naturalists and bird watchers are drawn to the park, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981 due to its biodiversity, dramatic scenery and indigenous communities. In written responses to Reuters' questions about the ethics of such tours, the Tourism Ministry defended its efforts to boost international travel to the region, saying Panama "is blessed with sprawling jungles, mighty rivers, mountain peaks, endless coastlines, and diverse cultures." At the same time, it acknowledged a "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" in a separate part of the Darien due to migration.
But in nearly 25 years of taking people into the Darien, he has never encountered migrants and said he plans his routes to keep these worlds apart.
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