Record Half-million Migrants Crossed Dangerous Darien Gap Last Year

Record Half-million Migrants Crossed Dangerous Darien Gap Last Year

去年有近五十万移民冒险穿越危险的达利恩隘口

【听力音频】

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　　By Dan Novak

　　03 January 2024

　　A record 520,000 migrants crossed the difficult and dangerous Darien Gap wilderness area between Colombia and Panama in 2023. Panamanian officials say that total is more than double the number recorded the year before.

　　The Panamanian government's migration agency says most of the migrants in 2023 were from Venezuela, Ecuador, and Haiti. And, agency chief Samira Gozaine said minors represented about 25 percent of the group traveling through the dense jungle.

　　"This is a national security problem," she told reporters at a government event. "Unfortunately, we do not have a quick solution to solve it."

　　The number of migrants crossing the Darien has sharply increased since 2019, when Laurentino Cortizo took office as Panama's president. Officials have called for international assistance to deal with the problem.

　　A major increase in Venezuelans fleeing the economic and social collapse of their country accounts for some of the migration flow. The United Nations says more than seven million Venezuelans have fled their country in recent years.

　　Those who cross the Darien risk murder, rape, human trafficking, and other violence. Natural dangers include heavy rains, sudden floods, poisonous snakes and other wildlife. Migrants must cross jungle rivers as well. There are no roads, bridges or services, including police and emergency workers.

　　In September, Reuters reported that African migrants heading to the United States are flying to Nicaragua to avoid the dangers of the Darien Gap.

　　I'm Dan Novak.

　　Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters.

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　　作者：Dan Novak

　　2024年1月3日

　　2023年，创纪录的520,000名移民穿越了位于哥伦比亚和巴拿马之间困难且危险的达利恩隘口荒野地区。巴拿马官员表示，这个数字是前一年记录的两倍多。

　　巴拿马政府的移民机构表示，2023年的大部分移民来自委内瑞拉、厄瓜多尔和海地。机构负责人Samira Gozaine表示，穿越这片密集丛林的群体中，约有25%是未成年人。

　　她在一个政府活动中对记者说：“这是一个国家安全问题，”她告诉记者，“不幸的是，我们没有快速解决它的办法。”

　　自2019年Laurentino Cortizo上任巴拿马总统以来，穿越达利恩隘口的移民数量急剧增加。官员们已经呼吁国际援助来解决这个问题。

　　大量逃离其国家经济和社会崩溃的委内瑞拉人是移民流动的部分原因。联合国表示，近年来有超过七百万委内瑞拉人逃离了他们的国家。

　　那些穿越达利恩隘口的人面临谋杀、强奸、人口贩卖和其他暴力行为的风险。自然危险包括暴雨、突发洪水、有毒蛇类和其他野生动物。移民们还必须穿越丛林河流。那里没有道路、桥梁或服务，包括警察和紧急救援工作人员。

　　去年9月，路透社报道称，前往美国的非洲移民正在飞往尼加拉瓜，以避开达利恩隘口的危险。

　　我是Dan Novak。

　　Dan Novak根据路透社的报道，为VOA学习英语改编了这个故事。

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　　这个故事中的词汇：

　　jungle – n. 丛林：植物和树木生长得非常茂密的热带森林

　　unfortunate – adv. 不幸的：运气不好的