Last Monday, Bear Necoclí The lines of immigrants looking for tickets to leave the municipality were exploding உராபே Antioqueño goes Kaburgan They spanned four volumes.

“That’s the day they were going to sell, that’s why there was a riot. After the video went viral, every day they were selling tickets and loading boats,” said Cuban Felipe, who has been trying to leave the municipality since Monday.

(What else: Migration crisis in Necoclí caused collapse of public services)

He was able to buy his ticket this Thursday and, as planned, he is traveling to Kaburgan today (Friday) Collided, To reach the border of Panama and then enter the most dangerous long stretch: the Darian Forest.

There are about 10,000 immigrants like this one in Cuba – according to figures from the mayor’s office
Local – wanting to reach Panama, then, cross Central America and finally, reach the United States.

There are people from Haiti, Asia Y AfricaWho arrived a few days ago in the municipality of Antioch, which is a mandatory step for them to go, but they could not go because there were no boats to where they were supposed to go.

(Also read: Immigrants leave Nekogli to move to Panama)

As they denounce Necoclí, there is only one company that provides this service and this happens because they have no way to meet the demand.

Time passes and money is scarce. Unlike Mayor George Doben, who said the currency already handled in the municipality was the dollar, there are at least four informal currency exchanges in the dockyard. They buy for $ 3,600 on average.

In addition, the first boats from yesterday continued to sail to Sochi.
However, there is concern, because even though immigrants are already leaving, more and more are coming.

This situation, although it has already occurred, but not to this extent, local and national authorities are on alert.

Even a general disaster has already been declared, as a municipality with a population of about 22,000 in the city is unable to accommodate 10,000 foreigners.

(You may be interested in: Ombudsman’s Office Visits Negombo as Immigrants Gather)

“We are afraid of a health emergency, public services, waterways and sewers have collapsed, the health system, there is no food supply. You go to the supermarket and you will no longer have food,” the local mayor warned this week.

Among other things, it is feared that Kovit-19 will explode as minimum life-saving conditions such as the use of a mask are not respected.

Defender’s visit

Yesterday afternoon, Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo, Nekokley arrived at the dock to witness the situation of the foreigners.

The officer’s visit came seven days after the mayor’s office was informed of the concern.

The company’s records include 15,000 immigrants, which differs from the local mayor’s office, and says there are about 8,000, even with relocation.
But yesterday, July 26, the situation was not the same as when the alarms sounded.

The flow of people began at 8:30 a.m., and by noon, 8 of the 12 ships organized by the Caribbean SAS, the only vessel authorized for this transaction, had already sailed.

(In other news: Between January and June, 44,647 people were displaced in Colombia: UN

Still, many more waited to leave and continue on their way to Dorian.

The officer spoke to some of them, who told them not only about the difficulties in Negombo, but also about what they had experienced since they came to the country.

“Some immigrants condemn the mafia, they sell ‘travel packages’, they travel from Ebiales, they charge $ 300 to cross, they approach because they have to continue their traffic north of the continent.”

(Background: Illegal traffic of immigrants grows in the Gulf of Urabபே and Morocco)

The official said that in his opinion, this is a problem beyond the continent, so both the problem and the search for solutions should be a task between many actors.

“I have called on my colleagues in various countries through the Impero-American Federation of Ombudsmen so that we can express the collective action that will enable us to deal with this emergency,” the Guardian added.
President Evan Duke, in a virtual speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, promised that a regional response was needed to prevent this situation from recurring.

“We have to put more restrictions, we can cooperate with Panama and other countries, but people who access this border do not stay there, they want to continue north,” Duke said. Efe.

(We recommend: Government guarantees release of IDPs from Idango)

There does not seem to be a quick solution to this crisis because even as the boats leave, more foreigners are coming, so the number is expected to increase in the coming days. Local officials talked about 30,000.

In this context, the call to the municipal national government is to establish an action plan to prevent the dam from continuing. In addition, there is concern that illegal groups may abuse those who dream of a better life.

Alejandro Mercado
Special Envoy of EL TIEMPO
On Twitter: AlejoMercado10