Gloria Milena Álvarez Quinchía, a hotel worker in Medellín, Colombia, has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison after confessing her involvement in a migrant trafficking network that included Cuban nationals, as reported by the Colombian Attorney General's Office on Wednesday. Álvarez Quinchía provided lodging for foreigners who were illegally passing through Colombia. These migrants were then moved to the Gulf of Urabá to continue their journey toward the Panama border, with the United States as their ultimate destination.
In addition to the prison term, Álvarez Quinchía faces a hefty fine equivalent to 1,383 minimum legal salaries and is barred from holding public office for 50 months. The investigation, spearheaded by the Special Directorate against Human Rights Violations, uncovered that she was apprehended in May 2022 along with 10 others linked to the migrant trafficking operation.
Rescue Operations and Border Control Efforts
Earlier this October, a Cuban national, along with 15 others, was rescued by the Colombian Navy while traveling in a makeshift vessel toward Central America. Off the waters of San Andrés and Providencia, the Colombian National Navy discovered a boat named "Yong King" on the night of October 5, carrying 16 migrants and two crew members, according to El Espectador.
In July, Panama's National Border Service (Senafront) closed at least three common routes used by migrants traversing the perilous Darién jungle en route to Colombia, with the United States being their final goal. The Panamanian government's statement, as reported by DW, emphasized that measures were enacted to manage the massive irregular migration affecting Panama, aiming to direct these migrants to Bajo Chiquito, the first village encountered after crossing the jungle on foot.
Migration Trends and Statistics
More than 9,000 Cuban migrants reached the United States in September 2024, according to figures released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The exact number, 9,315, marked September as having the fewest entries in the recently concluded fiscal year 2024, which ran from October 2023 to September 2024. For comparison, August saw 11,742 Cuban arrivals.