A jungle route once carried hundreds of thousands of migrants. Now the local economy has crashed

CNN en Español Upon his arrival in Puerto Obaldía, a coastal town in Panama from which he will seek to move to Ecuador, Enderson Estury recounted some of the difficulties that he experienced in his attempt to reach the United States and that finally led him to embark on the journey back from north to south. “For me, it has been all difficult because I come from Mexico without money. I come, as they say, with God in hand to help me along my way b…

‘I Don’t Even Have A Cent’: Smugglers That Thrived Off Border Crisis Going Dead Broke

Smugglers made a fortune off the U.S. border crisis, but are now left with no income after illegal migrants have given up on trying to reach the border.

Economic bust follows drop in migration through Darien Gap: AP

Migration through the Darien Gap surged under President Biden, boosting the local economy as migrants paid for transportation, food and supplies. However, since President Trump took office and border crossings slowed, that income has vanished, leaving locals struggling. The Darien Gap is a dangerous stretch of dense jungle and swamp located on the border between Panama and Colombia. Once-thriving residents now face economic uncertainty, with som…

Hundreds of migrants used to pass through the notorious Darién region, between Colombia and Panama, on their way to the United States every day. Recently, the route has looked deserted. In recent years, residents of the area have become economically dependent on the passing migrants, and now they see their income evaporate. "When Donald Trump won, everything came to a standstill," a resident of the area told the AP news agency. The route is one …

A jungle route once carried hundreds of thousands of migrants. Now the local economy has crashed

The Trump administration's crackdown on migration has ended the massive flow of people heading north through a treacherous jungle on the Colombia-Panama border called the Darien Gap.