Panama Canal and Darien Gap

Panama Canal is an engineering feast. It showcases the great power of modern technology. But few know about Darien Gap, also in Panama.

Pan American Highway is a highway connecting North, Central and South America. There is only a small 100 km gap, Darien Gap, on this grand 30,000 km project. Why the gap? The official reason, as always, is “environmental concern”. 

This gap causes many tragedies for migrants. The hike through Darien Gap is very dangerous, with rape and robbery common, and numerous fatalities. (Fernández, 2022)

Panama Canal was built to speed up cargo traffic. Darien Gap has been maintained to slow down human traffic.

Panama Canal was completed in 1914, more than a century ago. But no plan is in sight to close the Darien Gap.

References 

Fernández, Belén (27 October 2022). "The Darién Gap: A deadly extension of the US border". Al Jazeera.