Mexico and Guatemala launch binational migration operation on their border

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – At the Rodolfo Robles bridge, which connects the Mexican state of Chiapas with Guatemala, both governments coordinated military and migration operations to shield the border and promote an “orderly” migration. However, they did not specify the number of security forces personnel.

“We must understand that migration is permanent. However, it must be regulated and safe,” said Vicente Antonio Hernandez, commander of the 36th Military Zone in Tapachula.

Even though the start of the operation coincides with pressure from the United States, which detained more than 100,000 undocumented migrants at the border with Mexico in February, the general assured that non-essential crossings’ restriction is to avoid contagions of Covid-19 during the holiday period.

“The fundamental objective is that we all protect ourselves because Easter holiday and vacations are coming, and we must remember that last year, after the long weekend, there was a strong increase,” said the Mexican military.

The demonstrations of military force took place on the Mexican side in Tapachula and Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, and in Villahermosa, Tabasco.

The reinforcement of surveillance at formal and informal border crossings on the Suchiate River comes at a time when Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) has detained 34,993 irregular migrants as of March 25, an increase of almost 28% or 7,643 more people than last year.

The Armed Forces representative said that Mexico has “rescued” more than 6,000 unaccompanied minors on its southern border alone.

The start of the operation also coincides with the eve of the arrival of the first 1.5 million doses of a total of 2.7 million AstraZeneca vaccines that the United States will lend to Mexico following negotiations between Presidents Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, the Guatemalan Migration Institute (IGM) director, Guillermo Díaz, said from the border bridge that his country is experiencing difficult situations due to the pandemic, but at the same time is facing irregular transit of migrants.

“We must recognize that Guatemala is a transit country and not a destination country because as a transit country, we are concerned about the health of those who come, but (also) the health of our Mexican neighbors,” he said.

The Guatemalan official thanked the Mexican government for its political will to coordinate.

Likewise, the Guataemalan deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eduardo Hernández, admitted that his country faces a new massive flow of people, including children and adolescents, and therefore requires the authorities to dissuade, attend and safely return the migrants. He also acknowledged that transnational organized crime represents “a serious threat.”

Source: EFE