The National Institute of Migration (INM) and the National Guard (GN) carried out a road operation this Saturday in the state of Chiapas to detain a caravan of hundreds of migrants, including Cubans, due to the presidential elections in Mexico this Sunday.
The caravan, composed of hundreds of migrants from Cuba, Central America, and Venezuela, departed from the southern border with the aim of pressuring the authorities, and stopped in Huixtla, about 40 kilometers from Tapachula, the largest city in Mexico on the border with Guatemala, as reported by the news agency EFE cited by the news portal El Imparcial.
During the operation on the stretch of road from Villa Comaltitlán to Huixtla, at least four Venezuelans turned themselves in to immigration authorities because the officers promised assistance.
A Cuban migrant, anonymously and out of fear of reprisals, stated that INM agents already "tricked" them once. They promised to take them to other cities, but actually detained them.
"They want to send us back again, they don't want us to get any further," he asserted.
According to the testimony of a Honduran migrant named Gaby, the agents tried to engage in a haughty manner and offer them transportation to Huixtla. However, they did not accept the proposal and decided to keep walking, as reported by the telegraphic dispatch.
This Saturday, eve of the elections in Mexico, INM agents returned many families to Tapachula, while others who had already arrived in Mexico City were also sent back, added the Honduran.
Instead of helping to move forward, they are setting back the whole process that migrants have carried out so far, he emphasized.
Likewise, Juan, from Honduras, also accused the INM of wanting to detain them; however, he warned that the caravan will continue as soon as possible.
"All migrants are together, we are going to continue together in the name of Jesus Christ, now it has become difficult because of the water and the children. Support us, if you truly want to help us, do not separate from the caravan and go together with us until we reach our destination, alongside the National Guard," he emphasized.
Mexican authorities have intensified their security operations on highways and at the southern border ahead of Sunday's elections, which will be the largest in the country's history as over 98 million voters are called to renew more than 20,000 positions, including the presidency and Congress, reported EFE.
The Mexican government increased by almost 200% annually the detection of irregular migrants in the first quarter of 2024, when it intercepted more than 360,000.
Four sources familiar with the topic of migration to the United States stated last Thursday that the White House is preparing drastic measures at the border with Mexico, which would limit asylum requests and automatically deny entry to immigrants once the number of people detained by U.S. border agents exceeds a new daily threshold.
They stated that Joe Biden could sign the executive order this Tuesday, according to a dispatch from The Associated Press (AP).
The sources acknowledged that the number of illegal crossings at the border between both countries has decreased in recent months, but the reason is largely due to the intensification of efforts by Mexico.
Last April, the presidents of the United States and Mexico announced that they will take immediate measures to "significantly" reduce irregular crossings of migrants at the border between both countries.
Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a joint statement revealing that they spoke by phone on Sunday, April 28, about their ongoing commitment to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation for the benefit of their peoples.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under: