Authorities in Mexico intercepted 5,688 migrants in 4 days: Statement

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - A total of 5,688 migrants were intercepted by Mexican authorities between April 21 and April 24, according to Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM).

Migrants from 36 nationalities were found in safe houses, trailer boxes, cattle trailers, or hidden in bus compartments or tractor-trailer cabins in overcrowded conditions, without ventilation, water, and food, the institution said in a release on Monday.

In addition, authorities reported some instances of intercepting migrants traveling on foot in desert, in mountains, or on the side of highways after being assaulted, injured, or abandoned by alleged "guides" or "polleros" in their attempt to reach the country's northern border.

The vast majority of those detained by the authorities were adults, with 3,645 men and women of legal age traveling alone, 1,163 adults accompanying 680 minors, and 200 unaccompanied children.

The top nationalities with the largest number of recorded migrants are Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and Haiti.

Mexico has seen a record-breaking surge in migration numbers in the last years. In 2021 alone, over 307,000 migrants were detained by Mexican authorities, with 114,000 being ultimately deported.

In order to face up to the increasing cases of migration in the country, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador made use of Mexico's military to "assist" in migration checkpoints and detentions throughout Mexico's territory.

Even though only officers from the INM are authorized to detain and channel migrants according to Mexican law, Mexico's military has participated in 82% of migrant detentions, with instances of excessive force and abuse widely reported.