2023-10-08 07:36:00
(CNN) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Saturday that he visited the Darien Gap, the treacherous region of rainforest that connects South and Central America and has become a major crossing for migrants seeking to reach USA.
Adams said he visited the Darién Gap with Colombia’s ambassador to the United States, Luis Gilberto Murillo, and others under what he said was “the total control” of the Colombian National Police.
In an followingnoon news conference from Bogotá, Colombia, Adams declined to say exactly how much time he and other city officials spent in the area.
“We were under strict orders from the National Police regarding how they wanted us to respond and how they wanted us to interact and we complied with what they said,” Adams said.
The mayor said he took a helicopter to fly over the Darien Gap to the border with Panama, while remaining inside Colombia. In Darien, Adams said he saw a few hundred people lined up on a beach waiting in line and with tents. He said it was “not a condition children should be in” and described it as “a neglected environment.” Adams said people were sleeping outdoors and on the beach.
“We will take a lot of notes and information with us that we will include in proposals and policies once we return,” Adams told reporters. “This is a global crisis that we are experiencing and, we are approaching the Darien Gap and going through this experience because we want to understand it better and implement appropriate ways to ensure that we can stop this dangerous path that women, children and adults are taking.”
Earlier this week, Adams said his trip to Latin America was part of a public relations effort to help combat misinformation that he believes is partly to blame for immigrants traveling to New York City in record numbers.
“At the beginning of this trip I said it was a research trip,” Adams said. “One that was a reality check for all of us and today we saw the reality and scale of the migration that occurs here through the Darien Gap. “Colombia and the Darien Gap serve as a transit point for migrants fleeing violence, instability and poverty.”
“There is genuine empathy here and we saw how much Colombians care,” Adams added. “They have supported and welcomed almost three million Venezuelans with health, education, housing and social benefits, as well as job opportunities.”
“We also meet with people who have made dangerous journeys here in Colombia and who hope to reach the United States. We learned that this year alone, more than 375,000 people have crossed the Darien Gap. There are 100,000 more people who crossed last year and 200,000 more people than in 2021. And we know that many do not make it.”
New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks during the 2023 Annual Concordia Summit on September 18, 2023. (Credit: John Lamparski/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)
The stretch of jungle leading to the Colombian side of the border is one of the most dangerous places in Colombia, according to local authorities.
“We must be honest regarding the reality of making the dangerous journey to the United States. “We want to make sure people come to New York City and know what to expect,” Adams said. “They have the opportunity for safe and dignified migration. One that can lead to the American dream. We all want to help as many people as possible. We want to defend our values as a city of immigrants. But to achieve this we need to stabilize the situation.”
“The ambassador and I are committed to working together to help deter dangerous and illegal migration from Colombia to the United States.”
Adams said of his trip to Latin America this week: “This trip opened my eyes. I have had the pleasure of meeting so many people dedicated to solving the international migration crisis. I have met asylum seekers who risk everything for a new life. I have seen their desperation and their desire to provide for their families and live a life free of fear. “It is clearer than ever that we need all of us to work together on this locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.”
During his visit to the Darien Gap, Adams said he was unable to meet with migrant families and reiterated that his trip was under the control of the Colombian National Police.
“There was a level of reluctance to allow us in in the first place because of serious safety concerns,” Adams said. “We told them we would follow their guidelines and make sure we followed the procedures they put in place. They had a large number of National Police personnel who were there, they wanted us to go in and make an observation, but not to interact with the people who were there.”
CNN walked with migrants through the treacherous Darien Gap. (Credit: Natalie Gallón/CNN)
“After we made the observation, we made a statement to the media, the local press was there and we left the place according to their guidelines.”
Adams said Commissioner Manuel Castro of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs was able to meet with a family in Darien, which Adams described as “an extremely impactful interaction.”
Castro told reporters that he spoke with a family with four children. He said they were there waiting for a spot on one of the boats that would take them across the river to the entrance to the Darien Gap.
Castro said: “It was very emotional. I was a migrant child myself and I mightn’t help but talk to them.” He added: “This is the kind of experience I will never forget.”
Adams said he and city officials flew over several areas of the Darien. “It is clear that we must have a uniform response not only nationally but also here in this region,” he said.
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