Desperate Haitian migrants make a terrifying trek as U.S. efforts fail to deter them.
For months, Freddy Pestana Herrera, a local community leader who lives in this roadless corner of northwestern Colombia, has kept watch as people pass by, their backs laden with packs and their eyes trained on a muddy, slippery path intersected by tangles of roots and torrents of running water. These are the opening steps into the Darien Gap, a wild, water-soaked region that divides South America from North America – and a popular destination for migrants seeking to make their way overland to the United States. About 80 river crossings must be navigated to arrive at the Panama border, after which more untamed jungle awaits. This year, 95,000 people have made the trip, more than ever before.
Inside The Derian Gap, For the Globe and Mail.