At least 39 people lost their lives and more than 30 were injured in a bus accident in Panama, on its way from the immigration reception station in Darién to the immigration reception station in Los Planes de Gualaca, Chiriquí. In this regard, Panamanian entities of the Catholic Church, jointly in the Red Clamor Panamá, which accompany and assist migrants, refugees and victims of trafficking, released a statement in which they regret what happened.

In the document, the Red Clamor Panamá points out that this event "adds to a long list of suffering that our brothers and sisters already carry on their shoulders who, affected by poverty, social and political violence in most cases, are forced to leave their countries in the desperate search to achieve the dream of reaching the United States, to find a place to live with dignity," they explain.

It should be noted that the events occurred in a region known for the passage of migrants from various countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador and Haiti. In 2022 alone, 248 thousand migrants entered Panama through the Darién, almost double the 133 thousand of the previous year, according to data from the Panamanian government.

Faced with such a situation, Clamor Panamá expressed “deep solidarity and concern for the terrible drama that migrants experience daily.” In addition, he pointed out that it is necessary for the authorities to implement necessary mechanisms to strengthen a migration policy that has respect for human rights as its center, which guarantees safe, orderly and regular migration.”