They denounce that Mexican officials charge 1,500 dollars to Cubans at the border

Mexican activist María Icela Valdez Chaidez has denounced that officials from the National Migration Institute (INM) in Reynosa, Tamaulipas (northeast of Mexico) have charged Cuban migrants up to $1,500 to facilitate the process that allows them to request political asylum in the United States. , reportedNotimex.

Faced with the corruption of the Mexican authorities, a group of approximately 14 Cubans attempted to enter the United States by force through the Reynosa-Hidalgo bridge on June 28. Tired of waiting and corrupt practices, they decided to demand their rights from the border authorities.

Activist Valdez Chaidez added that, due to the inefficiency of Mexico's immigration protocols, many migrants risk dying in the Rio Grande when they try to cross it to reach US soil.

“The Cubans were very angry and filed a complaint for extortion. What is happening in Tamaulipas is causing more deaths of migrants, who are exposed to falling prey to organized crime, to crossing the Río Bravo in dangerous conditions,” denounced Valdez Chaidez.

“What is happening is horrible. Many children are dying. It is a violation of their human rights,” he said.

The Reynosa-Hidalgo bridge incident, which led the United States authorities to close the border crossing, has not been the only one in recent days.

This July 1st a group of50 Cuban and Honduran migrants ran onto the Paso del Norte International Bridge to request that their asylum process be expedited and were stopped by border control agents with containment fences.

Last June tooa Cuban jumped into the Rio Bravo and arrived on the shores of the United States with a Central American girl in his arms, whom he helped cross the dangerous waters.