In 2023, 1,148 cases of dead or missing migrants were reported on the American continent, linked to the absence of safe and legal routes for migration, which increases the probability that people choose irregular and dangerous routes, the International Organization said. for Migration (IOM). This figure is lower than that reported in 2022, in which 1,462 were documented, and that of 2021, 1,328.
The IOM also warned that since 2014, a total of 8,847 missing or deceased migrants have been reported in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
According to a report, the main causes of incidents in 2023 were drowning (398), transportation-related accidents (290), and extreme environmental conditions and inappropriate shelter (150).
Almost half of the identified victims were adult men (525), followed by women (463), girls, boys and adolescents (85) and unidentified (160).
The IOM highlighted that the migratory routes monitored by the Missing Migrants Project during 2023 share some characteristics, as they are maritime or land routes that are difficult to access and the media gives them little coverage, except for the border between the United States and Mexico.
According to the document, 591 deaths and disappearances were recorded in Central America; 336 in North America, and 217 in the Caribbean.
“The year 2023 was marked by high migratory mobility on the American continent, characterized by a duality in which regular movements predominated, with a lower proportion of irregular movements. This was accompanied by a growing need for protection, integration and regularization measures,” he stated.
He indicated that at a general level on the continent, the main factors for emigrating include economic and work reasons, but also those related to insecurity (especially in Ecuador and Haiti) and political factors.
In 2023 in Ecuador, he explained, according to data from the National Police, there were 7,592 violent deaths, equivalent to a homicide rate of more than 40 per 100,000 inhabitants. This number shows an increase of 65 percent compared to the 4,603 deaths recorded in 2022.