Rupture or Continuity? A Critical Assessment of Colombian State Migration Policy During the Humanitarian Crisis in Darién

Abstract

This article assesses the Colombian state's migration policy during the humanitarian crisis in Darién, with a special emphasis on the administration of President Gustavo Petro (2022-2025). It assesses the gap between his promises of change and the continuities of the security paradigm in migration management. Through documentary analysis and fieldwork along the Medellín-Necoclí section of the migration corridor, the article examines the strategies of the National Development Plan and current events such as institutional instability in the Foreign Ministry and responses to deportations of Colombians. These events are contrasted with internationally leading initiatives, such as the presidency of the Global Forum on Migration & Development, among other factors. The results reveal tensions between human rights discourse and concrete practices, highlighting the significant territorial impact of the expiration of Temporary Protection Permits for Venezuelans, which left the adult population without regularization options. It is concluded that the government maintained structural elements of its security approach, such as the delegation of functions to international cooperation, while its international initiatives did not translate into concrete results at the local level.