(Bloomberg) — The number of migrants crossing the Darien Gap rose 51% in September as more Venezuelans crossed the treacherous jungle following Nicolas Maduro’s disputed re-election.
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Repression in the aftermath of Venezuela’s July elections has led to an increase in emigration, according to a report by Refugees International published on Friday. Data shows that 25,111 migrants crossed the border last month, with more than 80% coming from Venezuela, followed by Colombia, Ecuador and China.
Venezuelan election authorities said Maduro won for the third time in a row in July, amid widespread international criticism over the transparency of vote counts. The 19,800 Venezuelans crossing the Darien in September represents a 68% increase from the previous month.
Since 2015, nearly 8 million people have fled Venezuela in what is believed to be the largest mass migration in the Americas. As they have spread across the continent, reaction has increased due to the perception that their arrival is often accompanied by an increase in crime.
A new Venezuelan exodus risks roiling politics in the US, where more than 500,000 migrants from the country already reside, according to United Nations data. A Gallup poll last month showed that immigration was resurgent as an issue highlighted as important by voters in September, after declining over the summer, but still not at the peak seen at the beginning of the year.
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