MSF concludes its migration response project in Guatemala

• Doctors Without Borders (MSF) ran a Migration project from late 2021, just before the large wave of migration moving up from South America, until June 2025. For three years and seven months, the goal was to ease the suffering of thousands of people seeking to reach the United States in search of better opportunities.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provided care to 238,808 people during the three years and seven months that the Migration project operated in Guatemala. Up to June 2025, the organization offered primary health care, psychological support, social work, health promotion, access to toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, and electricity to charge phones at two attention points. Operations began in Tecún Umán, San Marcos in November 2021, and in Esquipulas in October 2023.

MSF deployed multidisciplinary teams to these locations to respond to the humanitarian emergency caused by the massive movement of people from South America, which began in 2021 and continued through 2024. According to data from different entities, including Panama’s Migration office, 2023 saw the highest number of people crossing the Darién Gap — the jungle dividing Colombia and Panama. That year, over half a million people crossed. In 2024, the number exceeded 300,000, and during the first five months of 2025, the count reached 2,917. In June, it was reported the entry of only 10 persons at that border point.

“The Darién became the barometer of mass migration. The people who made that journey took a physically demanding route, full of dangers and risks due to the presence of criminal groups. They had to choose between making this journey in search of a better future, or staying in their home countries facing economic hardship, violence, or lack of rights — in Latin America and other parts of the world,” explained Jean Hereu, project coordinator.

After entering Panama, people would start the difficult and dangerous route through Central America, to eventually reach Mexico. Once in Mexican territory, they tried to request asylum in the U.S. through the CBP One app, a digital system created to schedule migration appointments. However, this tool had serious limitations: it could not respond quickly to the massive demand, leaving thousands stranded in Mexico for several months while waiting for a chance. In January, President Donald Trump decided to eliminate the app as part of a series of anti-migration policies implemented during the first six months of his presidency.

Most of the people who received MSF's support were victims of different forms of violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual violence. They also suffered from respiratory problems, skin infections, body aches, and gastrointestinal illnesses caused by drinking contaminated water and having limited access to healthy food.

“We treated 278 survivors of sexual violence. 94% of them were women between 18 and 35 years old. We know there were many more victims, but they were afraid, ashamed, or unaware of their right to medical care because of their irregular status in another country. That’s why, in addition to offering emergency contraception and infection prevention, we also focused on providing psychological support,” said Hereu.

Patricia, 24, contacted MSF in 2025 while returning to Venezuela. She had been on the road for nine months and had survived sexual violence while crossing the Darién. “Most men were robbed and threatened with guns to their heads. And us, well, we were abused. That happened to me in the jungle… it was like a shock, like being sleep-deprived. I couldn’t get my strength back. What gave me the will to continue was my son and my husband, who were with me.”

Due to political, economic, and human rights deterioration in their home country, most people assisted by MSF were from Venezuela. However, in 2024, others came from different regions also facing severe socio-political crises. “We assisted people from Haiti, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Angola, and South Sudan, among others — places where civil wars have left thousands of victims. It was like seeing a refugee camp, but in motion, with the added challenge of language barriers and restricted access due to their method of travel, usually in groups and guided by smugglers,” Hereu added.

MSF staff had direct contact with families broken by violence. Women who had been assaulted, men who were forced to witness the rape of their wives, daughters, or sisters. Children who described kidnappings, robberies, and extortion along the way.

In coordination with the Ministry of Health and other humanitarian organizations, MSF followed up on cases needing hospitalization or specialized care due to chronic illnesses, pregnancies, or mental health conditions linked to what they had experienced or pre-existing diagnoses.

The project closed after observing the impact of U.S. migration policies, which include cuts to humanitarian aid funding for services independent to MSF but were linked to migration. It is important to highlight that, although the movement north has nearly stopped, hundreds of people do not see returning home as an option and remain stranded — especially in Mexico — without options and often living on the streets.

MSF calls on regional authorities to respect the human rights of people on the move. We also urge the provision of dignified and humane conditions, with spaces that ensure access to healthcare, food, and well-being.