Mexico asked the United States on Friday to revise its migration policy, in the wake of the death of at least 55 irregular migrants in a truck accident in the south of the country.
According to the latest report from the authorities, the tragedy also left 105 injured, three of whom were serious.
Most of the victims are nationals of neighboring Guatemala (95 among the wounded) who were traveling hidden and crammed into the trailer of the truck, according to the Mexican National Guard.
The victims were on their way to Puebla, further north, and probably to the US border, when the truck overturned Thursday evening on the highway near Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital of the state of Chiapas, bordering Guatemala. “Every person seeking a better life deserves security and dignity,” said United Nations Secretary General António Guterres “horrified”. Pope Francis also said he was “very sorry”.
Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador called for “awareness” and consideration of “fundamental issues” during a press conference. Central American and Haitian migrants are crossing Mexico to the United States in record numbers this year.
The head of state claims to have defended this position during a meeting with President Joe Biden in mid-November. “This is not a simple matter for President Biden,” he added.
In Mexico City, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that “other migratory options and opening up legal avenues were needed to avoid tragedies like these”.
Record number of migrants
The migrants had entered for “several days” by the border with Guatemala, indicated the commander of the National Guard, Luis Rodriguez Bucio. The truck belonged to a Mexican company, and its driver fled, Bucio said.
On site, residents participated in first aid. “There were a lot of people on the ground, some were already dead. With other guys, we did what we could to help the rescuers save those who were still showing signs of life, ”said Isaias Diaz, who arrived a few minutes after the tragedy and visibly suffered. “I saw five or six injured children. People with injuries to their legs, ribs, head, neck, everywhere. “
The President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, promised in a condolence message on Twitter “all necessary consular assistance, including repatriations”.
The accident took place in the state of Chiapas, the gateway for migrants leaving Central America (mainly Honduras and El Salvador) in the hope of reaching the United States. A traditional passageway, Mexico is experiencing record arrivals of migrants this year, coming not only from Honduras and El Salvador, but also from Haiti.
From January to October, the country registered 108,195 asylum applications, a record, according to the latest official figures.