Between 2021 and 2024, over one million people have traveled through the Darién with the intention of reaching the United States. Most of them in 2024 were Venezuelans, although there were also migrants from Afghanistan, China, Haiti, Ecuador, and other countries. Over 100 nationalities are now navigating the jungle between Panama and Colombia walking along this dangerous path of about 25.000 squared kilometers, wearing flip-flops, with their belongings in plastic bags, carrying their babies in their arms. It remains uncertain how many succeeded and how many did not.

Copyright foto: © Federico Ríos

Paths of Desperate Hope stands out as a profoundly human and visually commanding body of work that confronts one of the most urgent humanitarian crises of our time: the dangerous migration across the Darién Gap.
Federico Ríos approaches this harrowing journey not with sensationalism but with deep empathy and dignity. His photographs reveal both the physical brutality of the terrain and the emotional weight carried by those who attempt to cross it. The work’s power lies in its intimacy—each image invites us to pause, to witness, and to reflect on the resilience of those who walk these paths in search of a new life. It is a masterful example of ethical, committed photojournalism—timely, necessary, and unforgettable.