Editorial Note

Abstract

In recent years, the international migration landscape has become increasingly complex and critical. By the end of 2024, it was estimated that more than 120 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, violence, or human rights violations. Latin America is not immune to this crisis: the prolonged socioeconomic collapse in Venezuela has pushed nearly 8 million people to leave the country, marking one of the largest exoduses in the region’s history. Central America, meanwhile, has faced massive flows of migrants in transit to North America for years, including the collective movements known as migrant caravans that began in 2018. These caravans and other forms of forced migration have persisted even during the COVID-19 pandemic, defying border closures and revealing the relentless desperation—and hope—of those fleeing poverty, violence, and lack of opportunities.