Coyote transporting Cuban migrants captured in Guatemala

The Guatemalan Police arrested a suspected human trafficker this week while he was transporting immigrants, including Cubans, who entered the Central American country irregularly, according to authorities.

The arrest took place on September 30, at kilometer 25 of the Atlantic route, in the jurisdiction of Palencia, after the coyote was caught transporting four individuals from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti in a car, according to a statement from the National Civil Police (PNC).

Agents from the Mobile Unit of Tactical Interdiction of the Division of Ports, Airports, and Border Checkpoints (DIPAFRONT) apprehended the driver, José "N", 25 years old, who has been placed at the disposal of a court that will determine his legal situation. The crime of human trafficking is punishable by sentences of up to 10 years in prison in Guatemala.

The four foreigners received assistance and were transferred to the Guatemalan Institute of Migration (IGM) for the corresponding administrative procedures that will determine their migratory future.

A statement released this Thursday on the X account of the Public Ministry of Guatemala identified the detained coyote as José E. and specified that the Prosecutor's Office against the Illegal Trafficking of Migrants succeeded in obtaining an order for his prosecution for the crime of human trafficking, as part of the investigation that began following his arrest in the act.

During the operation, cash and a cell phone were seized, which will be examined by investigators to gather information that will strengthen the case, authorities noted.

Guatemala continues to be a transit route for immigrants trying to reach the U.S., including Cubans, despite the aggressive immigration policy of the Donald Trump administration since he took office for his second term in January.

The Guatemalan government conducts regular control operations on highways and borders to curb irregular migration. Nevertheless, there are Cubans who take the risk to undertake the journey through Central America and cross that country, aiming to reach Mexico and continue towards the southern border of the U.S.

The routes of illegal human trafficking involve situations that endanger the lives of migrants. Last September, a coyote transporting 11 immigrants, six of whom were Cuban, was apprehended after ignoring the stop order from PNC agents and fleeing.

The trafficker was transporting people hidden in the back of a pickup truck under inhumane conditions. During his escape, he collided with at least six cars and 17 motorcycles, causing significant material damage.

In another operation carried out in July, a bus transporting 12 undocumented migrants, several of whom were Cuban, was intercepted on a road in southern Guatemala, heading towards the border with Mexico.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Trafficking of Cuban Migrants in Guatemala