Latest news with #GunaYala
Travel Weekly
2 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Pelorus Travel expedition will search for sunken treasure near Panama
Want to embark on a treasure hunt for $24 million in gold, silver and gems? Look no further than Pelorus Travel. The bespoke luxury tour operator is offering a rare and ambitious experience this summer: to participate in a hunt for the Maurepas shipwreck and its treasure. The ship disappeared in 1699 near the Isthmus of Darien. The Guna people, an indigenous community in Panama, has known the shipwreck's location but kept it secret to protect their waters, Pelorus said. Diving in their waters is forbidden. But now, the community has granted exclusive access to the tour operator to try to unearth the fortune. If the treasure is located, 70% of the sales will go to the Guna Yala community and each treasure hunter will receive 4.94% return of the 30% share of the sales, the operator said. The expedition will be operated June through November alongside the Ocean X team and is also the subject of a documentary. Travelers will receive a $25,000 bonus from the film if the lost treasure is located. Pelorus is billing this adventure as a once-in-lifetime opportunity. The itinerary will feature the opportunity to explore the Guna Yala waters on a luxury catamaran or yacht; go diving to explore the seabed alongside the Ocean X team; and connect with the Guna people.
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Panama's first climate exodus: Gardi Sugdub left empty as rising seas claim Caribbean homes
GUNA YALA ARCHIPELAGO (Panama), June 4 — Streets once filled with children's laughter have fallen silent on a Panamanian island where almost all residents left a year ago due to the threat of the sea swallowing their homes. The evacuation of around 1,200 members of the Indigenous Guna community to a new life on the mainland was one of the first planned migrations in Latin America due to climate change. The exodus from Gardi Sugdub in the Caribbean left those who remained with a sense of sadness, said Delfino Davies, who has a small museum on the island with spears, jars and animal bones. 'There are no friends left or children playing,' he told AFP. Gardi Sugdub now has the silence of a 'dead island,' he said. An Indigenous Guna woman walks through a street at Gardi Sugdub island, in the Guna Yala Archipelago, Panama on May 27, 2025. — AFP pic Dusty desks and empty classrooms are all that remain of a school that once bustled with children. Many of the island's wooden houses are padlocked. 'There's no one here. Sometimes I get sad when I'm here alone,' Mayka Tejada, 47, said in the small store where she sells bananas, pumpkins, clothes, toys and notebooks. Like Davies and about 100 others, she decided to stay. But her mother and two children, aged 16 and 22, moved to one of the 300 houses built by the Panamanian government in a new neighborhood called Isber Yala on the mainland, a 15-minute boat ride away. Gardi Sugdub, the size of around five football fields, is one of 49 inhabited islands in the Guna Yala archipelago – also known as San Blas – which scientists warn is in danger of disappearing by the end of the century. 'I'll die here' Sitting in a hammock in her earthen-floor house filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs, 62-year-old Luciana Perez said she had no intention of leaving. 'I was born in Gardi and I'll die here. Nothing is sinking. Scientists don't know, only God,' she said. Perez said that she was not afraid because since she was a child she had seen big waves and rising waters flooding houses at times. Steven Paton, a scientist at the Panama-based Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, said climate change meant that sea levels were expected to rise by up to 80 centimeters. 'Most of the Guna Yala islands are about 50 centimeters above sea level,' he told AFP. 'They'll be underwater.' Ana Toni, CEO of the United Nations' COP30 climate conference, told AFP that the mass evacuation 'shows the reality we already have to face on the planet.' An aerial view of Gardi Sugdub island, in the Guna Yala Archipelago, Panama taken on May 27, 2025. — AFP pic Sidewalks, water, electricity The arrival of the rainy season has left puddles dotting the dirt roads of Gardi Sugdub. In contrast, in the new settlement of Isber Yala – 'land of loquats' in the Guna language – the streets are paved and have sidewalks. The nearly 50-square-meter (500-square-feet) concrete houses have flushing toilets and there is a plot of land to grow vegetables. On Gardi Sugdub 'we lived crowded together, and I had to go fetch water from the river in a small boat,' said Magdalena Martinez, a 75-year-old retired teacher. In Isber Yala, water is available for an hour in the morning, she said. 'I can fill the buckets. And I have electricity 24 hours a day,' said Martinez, who lives with her granddaughter in the new neighborhood. Tejada's children also have no regrets about leaving the island, she said. 'I miss them, but they're happy there. They have a place to play football and walk around,' Tejada said. An aerial view of the new mainland neighbourhood of Isber Yala, meaning 'land of loquats' in the Guna language, in the Guna Yala Comarca, Panama on May 27, 2025. — AFP pic While the island's school relocated to Isber Yala, its dilapidated clinic remained in Gardi Sugdub. 'Before, people came on foot. Now, they have to travel by land and sea to get here. There are fewer visitors,' said 46-year-old doctor John Smith. Some of the islanders divide their time between the two communities, while others visit occasionally to check on their homes. This week, there will be more activity than normal: seven jars of chicha – a fermented corn drink – are ready for Isber Yala's first anniversary. Martinez is looking forward to the celebration, even though it will be bittersweet. Although she may not see it herself, 'the islands will disappear because the sea will reclaim its territory,' she said. — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Year after Exodus, Silence Fills Panama Island Threatened by Sea
Streets once filled with children's laughter have fallen silent on a Panamanian island where almost all residents left a year ago due to the threat of the sea swallowing their homes. The evacuation of around 1,200 members of the Indigenous Guna community to a new life on the mainland was one of the first planned migrations in Latin America due to climate change. The exodus from Gardi Sugdub in the Caribbean left those who remained with a sense of sadness, said Delfino Davies, who has a small museum on the island with spears, jars and animal bones. "There are no friends left or children playing," he told AFP. Gardi Sugdub now has the silence of a "dead island," he said. Dusty desks and empty classrooms are all that remain of a school that once bustled with children. Many of the island's wooden houses are padlocked. "There's no one here. Sometimes I get sad when I'm here alone," Mayka Tejada, 47, said in the small store where she sells bananas, pumpkins, clothes, toys and notebooks. Like Davies and about 100 others, she decided to stay. But her mother and two children, aged 16 and 22, moved to one of the 300 houses built by the Panamanian government in a new neighborhood called Isber Yala on the mainland, a 15-minute boat ride away. Gardi Sugdub, the size of around five football fields, is one of 49 inhabited islands in the Guna Yala archipelago -- also known as San Blas -- which scientists warn is in danger of disappearing by the end of the century. 'I'll die here' Sitting in a hammock in her earthen-floor house filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs, 62-year-old Luciana Perez said she had no intention of leaving. "I was born in Gardi and I'll die here. Nothing is sinking. Scientists don't know, only God," she said. Perez said that she was not afraid because since she was a child she had seen big waves and rising waters flooding houses at times. Steven Paton, a scientist at the Panama-based Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, said climate change meant that sea levels were expected to rise by up to 80 centimeters. "Most of the Guna Yala islands are about 50 centimeters above sea level," he told AFP. "They'll be underwater." Ana Toni, CEO of the United Nations' COP30 climate conference, told AFP that the mass evacuation "shows the reality we already have to face on the planet." Sidewalks, water, electricity The arrival of the rainy season has left puddles dotting the dirt roads of Gardi Sugdub. In contrast, in the new settlement of Isber Yala -- "land of loquats" in the Guna language -- the streets are paved and have sidewalks. The nearly 50-square-meter (500-square-feet) concrete houses have flushing toilets and there is a plot of land to grow vegetables. On Gardi Sugdub "we lived crowded together, and I had to go fetch water from the river in a small boat," said Magdalena Martinez, a 75-year-old retired teacher. In Isber Yala, water is available for an hour in the morning, she said. "I can fill the buckets. And I have electricity 24 hours a day," said Martinez, who lives with her granddaughter in the new neighborhood. Tejada's children also have no regrets about leaving the island, she said. "I miss them, but they're happy there. They have a place to play football and walk around," Tejada said. While the island's school relocated to Isber Yala, its dilapidated clinic remained in Gardi Sugdub. "Before, people came on foot. Now, they have to travel by land and sea to get here. There are fewer visitors," said 46-year-old doctor John Smith. Some of the islanders divide their time between the two communities, while others visit occasionally to check on their homes. This week, there will be more activity than normal: seven jars of chicha -- a fermented corn drink -- are ready for Isber Yala's first anniversary. Martinez is looking forward to the celebration, even though it will be bittersweet. Although she may not see it herself, "the islands will disappear because the sea will reclaim its territory," she said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Year after exodus, silence fills Panama island threatened by sea
Streets once filled with children's laughter have fallen silent on a Panamanian island where almost all residents left a year ago due to the threat of the sea swallowing their homes. The evacuation of around 1,200 members of the Indigenous Guna community to a new life on the mainland was one of the first planned migrations in Latin America due to climate change. The exodus from Gardi Sugdub in the Caribbean left those who remained with a sense of sadness, said Delfino Davies, who has a small museum on the island with spears, jars and animal bones. "There are no friends left or children playing," he told AFP. Gardi Sugdub now has the silence of a "dead island," he said. Dusty desks and empty classrooms are all that remain of a school that once bustled with children. Many of the island's wooden houses are padlocked. "There's no one here. Sometimes I get sad when I'm here alone," Mayka Tejada, 47, said in the small store where she sells bananas, pumpkins, clothes, toys and notebooks. Like Davies and about 100 others, she decided to stay. But her mother and two children, aged 16 and 22, moved to one of the 300 houses built by the Panamanian government in a new neighborhood called Isber Yala on the mainland, a 15-minute boat ride away. Gardi Sugdub, the size of around five football fields, is one of 49 inhabited islands in the Guna Yala archipelago -- also known as San Blas -- which scientists warn is in danger of disappearing by the end of the century. - 'I'll die here' - Sitting in a hammock in her earthen-floor house filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs, 62-year-old Luciana Perez said she had no intention of leaving. "I was born in Gardi and I'll die here. Nothing is sinking. Scientists don't know, only God," she said. Perez said that she was not afraid because since she was a child she had seen big waves and rising waters flooding houses at times. Steven Paton, a scientist at the Panama-based Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, said climate change meant that sea levels were expected to rise by up to 80 centimeters. "Most of the Guna Yala islands are about 50 centimeters above sea level," he told AFP. "They'll be underwater." Ana Toni, CEO of the United Nations' COP30 climate conference, told AFP that the mass evacuation "shows the reality we already have to face on the planet." - Sidewalks, water, electricity - The arrival of the rainy season has left puddles dotting the dirt roads of Gardi Sugdub. In contrast, in the new settlement of Isber Yala -- "land of loquats" in the Guna language -- the streets are paved and have sidewalks. The nearly 50-square-meter (500-square-feet) concrete houses have flushing toilets and there is a plot of land to grow vegetables. On Gardi Sugdub "we lived crowded together, and I had to go fetch water from the river in a small boat," said Magdalena Martinez, a 75-year-old retired teacher. In Isber Yala, water is available for an hour in the morning, she said. "I can fill the buckets. And I have electricity 24 hours a day," said Martinez, who lives with her granddaughter in the new neighborhood. Tejada's children also have no regrets about leaving the island, she said. "I miss them, but they're happy there. They have a place to play football and walk around," Tejada said. While the island's school relocated to Isber Yala, its dilapidated clinic remained in Gardi Sugdub. "Before, people came on foot. Now, they have to travel by land and sea to get here. There are fewer visitors," said 46-year-old doctor John Smith. Some of the islanders divide their time between the two communities, while others visit occasionally to check on their homes. This week, there will be more activity than normal: seven jars of chicha -- a fermented corn drink -- are ready for Isber Yala's first anniversary. Martinez is looking forward to the celebration, even though it will be bittersweet. Although she may not see it herself, "the islands will disappear because the sea will reclaim its territory," she said. mis/dr/dw/lb
The Independent
24-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Thousands of migrants return home by boat after Trump's crackdown on asylum
Migrants who once risked their lives traversing the jungles of the Darien Gap in search of asylum in the US are now returning to their home countries. After former President Donald Trump 's crackdown on asylum policies, many migrants, primarily from Venezuela and Colombia, have abandoned their attempts to reach the US. According to authorities, this has resulted in a 'reverse flow' of migrants. Speedboats are now transporting them from Panama back to Colombia, navigating the dense jungle rivers near the border. Many had previously spent months, even over a year, in Mexico, awaiting asylum appointments through the CBP One app, which has since been discontinued under Trump's policies. Karla Castillo, a 36-year-old Venezuelan traveling with her younger sister, said: 'When Trump arrived and eliminated the application (CBP One) all our hopes went up in smoke.' The boats depart from a rural part of Panama and cross the seas in packs to reach Colombia. They were part of a well-oiled migrant smuggling machine, which once raked in money from the steady flow of hundreds of thousands of people headed north nearly a year ago. The speed boat route, which crosses through the Indigenous Guna Yala lands, was once part of what smugglers called the VIP route, in which migrants paid more so they wouldn't have to take the deadly trek through the Darien Gap. But now that much of the Darien's migrant smuggling industry has collapsed, smugglers are taking advantage of the reverse migration to charge steep costs to migrants – between $200 and $250 per person, including minors – for the boat rides. For many passengers it is the last of their money, after having spent almost everything in pursuit of their American dream. A 'reverse flow' of migrants Castillo was plagued with 'mix feelings' traveling backward. She was part of a mass migration from crisis-stricken Venezuela, fleeing to other Andean nations like Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and more before deciding to travel to the US. She lived five years in Chile, a country that as gradually closed its doors to Venezuelan migrants, before she decided to risk her life traveling through the Darien Gap and hopping country-to-country until she reached southern Mexico. In early February, she and her sister decided to give up when they realized they lost their chance at legally seeking asylum in the US. But she was anxious to return home to her four children and mother, who sent her some money to get home, which she raised from a raffle, she said, sitting in front of a blaring music with other migrants while she waited for a boat. 'Supposedly (the music) is to lighten the mood, but nothing takes away the gloom," she said. It's unclear exactly how many people cross through the boat route daily, but for weeks, large groups, including several hundred from mainly Venezuela and Colombia, have been flocking to the area, where Indigenous laws govern. They're offered overnight stays and sea transfers. That falls in line with figures offered by neighboring Costa Rica, which says it's seen between 50 and 75 people crossing through their country going south every day. Though it's just a drop in a bucket to figures seen a year ago, when the government said it saw thousands of migrants headed north daily. A dangerous journey Some of the migrants waiting for their boat back to Colombia said they refused to return to Venezuela after the country's recent elections, which have fueled democratic alarm and violence. They'd rather struggle in the same economic and legal precarity they faced for years in other countries, which have long pleaded with the international community for more funds to take on the migratory crisis. 'There's no way I'm going back to Venezuela. There are many of us that don't want to go back. They are going to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia. Just like before," said Celia Alcala as she waited to board a boat. But the boat rides can also be deadly. There's little police presence at the checkpoints, despite Panamanian authorities saying that boat captains have to follow security measures. On Friday, one boat disregarded a warning of heavy swells, capsizing while it was carrying 21 people, 19 of them migrants, off the coast of Panama. It claimed the life of one 8-year-old Venezuelan child, according to authorities. The death fueled concern among many waiting for their boats, like Venezuelan Juan Luis Guedez, who was returning with his wife and -year-old daughter from southern Mexico. After leaving Chile, where he lived for eight years after fleeing Venezuela, the family waited four months for an asylum appointment, hoping to reunite with family in the U.S. 'I don't know if we will get there alive, but if we make it, the idea is to go back to Chile. My daughter was born there," he said.
