Panama and Colombia will strengthen the fight against crime in border areas
2023.02.15 12:24
Panama and Colombia will strengthen the fight against crime in border areas
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – To combat drug trafficking, illegal mining, and irregular migration, Colombia and Panama have agreed to expand joint military operations in the Darien jungle.
In recent years, thousands of migrants have made traversing the Darien gap between Colombia and Panama a popular way to get to the United States. While doing so, they frequently have to deal with illegal armed groups like the Colombian criminal gang Clan del Golfo.
During a meeting on Tuesday, military personnel, government officials, and diplomats from the two Latin American nations agreed to expand operations.
“The criminality of the Clan del Golfo must be confronted by us. Ivan Velasquez, the defense minister of Colombia, stated, “A fundamental issue is strengthening intelligence and being able to identify large organizations that could be in league with the Clan del Golfo or independently carrying out criminal activities.”
In a statement late on Tuesday, the Colombian Defense Ministry said that the agreement includes the construction of a shared observation post in Cabo Tiburon, which is in the province of Choco in Colombia, and a military base in Sapzurro, a town in Colombia that is close to the border between the two countries.
According to the statement, the United States government is also thinking about installing a maritime radar in the area.
In 2022, a record number of migrants, primarily Venezuelans, crossed the perilous and remote Darien gap to reach Panama.
Groups of “coyotes” must be paid to help migrants cross the Darien.
According to security sources, they run the risk of being used to transport drugs by illegal armed groups, and women run the risk of being sexually abused.
Alvaro Leyva, the Colombian foreign minister, and Janaina Tewaney Mencomo, his Panamanian counterpart, attended the meeting on Tuesday. Additionally, high-ranking representatives of the United States embassy in both countries were present.
