Residents who live around the Darien Gap, a jungle passage between Colombia and Panama, once attracted considerable benefits by helping immigrants attempting to cross illegally to the United States. I cried Under President Donald Trump’s immigrant crackdown.
Wednesday, Associated Press We have published a report on the recent collapse of the local economy, featuring interviews with several locals.
“When Donald Trump won, everything came to a halt of screeching.”
The outlet has stopped shortages caused by the wave of illegal immigration over the former Biden administration’s open border policy, but said local farmers have swapped farm jobs and robbed them of the opportunity to benefit from the immigration boom.
Manuel Orozco told the news outlet that the dialogue between the US and immigration around 2021 “has become a business opportunity for many people.”
“It’s like you discovered a gold mine, but once it’s dry… you either leave the area and go to the city or continue to maintain poverty,” Orozco explained.
Instead of caring for plantains and rice farms, Villa Caleta residents invested in boats to transport migrants to the river.
The AP spoke with one of those residents, 63-year-old Louis Olea. He explained that “we’ve finished moving” before Trump took office.
“But now it’s all gone,” Olea said.
The AP said boat pilots called Lacheros can make up to $300 a day by transporting immigrants, but in agriculture it costs just $150 a month.
Amidst the immigration boom, towns within the Darien Gap have become arrangements for alternate transport of individuals by boat so that each community can have an opportunity to make a profit.
Community leader Cholino De Gracia told the outlet that not all residents are prepared for reduced traffic.
At that height, around 2,500 to 3,000 people crossed the Darien gap every day, according to Panama authorities. With Trump now in office, that number plummeted to around 10 per week.
“The worst part is that some people struggle to eat because if they don’t have any income here and there’s no supermarket, what can people buy?” asked De Garcia.
Olea reportedly returned to farming plantains.
Another boat pilot, Pedrochami, 56, told the Associated Press that he had previously been away from agriculture. He then took up wood carvings as few immigrants travelling the area.
“We’re trying this to see if things get better. Please make sure you can buy food,” Chami said. “Previously, I would always have $200 a day, and now I don’t even have a cent.”
Zobeida Concepción, 55, told the news outlet that “When Donald Trump won, everything came to a creaking halt.”
Concepción and her family sold goods to migrants traveling. She said she plans to stay in the area if there is another opportunity under the future US administration.
“When another government comes in, you never know what opportunities there will be,” Concepcion said.
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