Darién Border: human mobility, migration governance, and criminal control at the Colombia–Panama Boundary (2020–2023)

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to examine the processes of transit human mobility taking place in the Darién border region, between Colombia and Panama, one of the most significant settings for international migration in Latin America and globally, particularly for migratory flows heading towards the United States. One of the central aims of the research that gave rise to this article was to investigate the dynamics of migratory transit and the institutional response of the Colombian State between 2020 and 2023. The analysis identifies key elements of the structure of migration governance developed in order to respond to the increasing migratory flows during the period under study, as well as to the tensions and the role of criminal actors operating in this territory, who have played a central role in the management of mobility. This study employed a qualitative methodology based on primary and secondary sources, including official documents, regulations, press reviews, and semi-structured interviews with key actors representing the State, NGOs, and civil society. According to the findings, the main contribution of this research lies in making visible a territory characterized by natural, political, and social risks that expose migrants to multiple forms of violence and human rights violations. Besides, the study identifies a differentiated presence of the State in border control and migration management, characterized by fragmented responses and limited capacities that have favoured the explicit and implicit delegation of functions of regulation, control, and organisation of transit to non-state actors and criminal structures. This configuration deepens the risks and human rights violations faced by the migrant population while it also reshapes the responsibilities and scope of the Colombian State in matters of human mobility and migration governance.