AMLO asks the US to “get involved” in a solution to migration in Central America

the president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorwho visited Belize this Saturday, demanded during a tour of northern Central America greater participation by Washington in joint solutions to the problem of massive irregular migration to the United States.

On his penultimate stop in a series of visits that included Guatemala, The Savior Y Honduras, AMLO arrived on saturday Belize Citywhere he thanked Prime Minister Juan Antonio (John) Briceño for regularizing some 40,000 Central American migrants who “live and work honestly” in that country.

Look: They locate Debanhi Escobar’s credential in a gardener in Monterrey, 24 km from where his body was found

As part of his plan to support his Central American neighbors, the leftist López Obrador announced the suspension of tariffs on exports from the border Belize to Mexico, especially agricultural products, beef and basic foods.

“The opportunities they are giving us with the tariffs will allow us to sell many productsBriceno said. Mexico will also benefit from the program “Sowing Lives” to some 2,000 farmers, who will receive a payment for growing fruit and timber trees on their own plots.

The Mexican president, who summed up in Belize the prevailing need in the region of “to face common problems together” such as poverty, insecurity and “The consequent migratory waves”, will culminate his tour in Havana.

The Prime Minister of Belize, Johnny Briceño (right), and the Mexican President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (left), during the latter’s official visit, in Belize City. (Handout / PRESIDENCY OF MEXICO / AFP /)

Greater US participation

AMLO insisted on asking USA what “no country” of the hemisphere is excluded from the next Summit of the Americas to be held in Los Angeles. The host has already informed that Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are not invited because their actions “They don’t respect democracy.”

During his tour, the Mexican president also promoted his social programs to contain irregular migration in the so-called Northern Triangle of Central America.

On the border of Mexico with USA Thousands of undocumented Central American, Cuban and Haitian migrants who go to North America in search of work, overwhelmed by the violence and poverty that afflict their countries, are often imprisoned.

On Friday, with his colleague Xiomara Castro in Honduras, AMLO assured that the “oligarchic economic policies” have caused “the breakdown of the social fabric and the forced emigration of millions”, depopulating fields, separating families and exposing migrants to danger on their journey.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador poses with Honduran President Xiomara Castro at a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential House, during Obrador’s visit to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (Presidency of Mexico / Brochure via REUTERS /)

López Obrador asked to create employment generation programs. “For this, the will of Latin Americans is not enough; we also need that USA is clearly involved in solving a problem that also affects them and that contributes to financing those programs”, he added.

Castro, who with barely 100 days in power works to lift his country from the consequences of corruption and drug trafficking, assured that “Migration is the result of the difficult conditions in our countries, from the Rio Grande to the south.”

Honduras will host an International Conference in Central America in the second half of 2022 to promote plans “that address the structural causes of migration and include specific investment actions for development”said the Honduran president.

Migrants from Haiti, seeking to reach the U.S., register to seek work and refuge, outside the office of the Center for Comprehensive Attention to Migrants (CAIM) in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, May 4, 2022. (REUTERS /Jose Luis González/)

“Co-responsible”

In El Salvador, after a meeting with his colleague Nayib Bukele on Friday, AMLO said that “The United States, protagonist of the migratory phenomenon must, consequently, be co-responsible for giving it a solution, modifying its migratory policy”.

Washington must also help “combat the conditions that force millions to abandon their places of residence”he added.

For his part, Bukele expressed his support for the Mexican proposal for a joint plan. “We support the Mexican proposal to the USA to make a joint plan where we all contribute according to our economies”, emphasized Bukele.

Since 2019, Mexico has already financed its program in El Salvador “Sowing Life”which also benefits Honduras and they plan to expand to Guatemala.

Migrants rest while they are part of a caravan heading to the United States, in Huixtla, Mexico, April 30, 2022. (REUTERS / Jacob García /)

Petition to the Capitol

On Thursday, from Guatemala, López Obrador called for swift financial support from Washington for programs that create jobs, reduce poverty and prevent thousands of Central Americans from irregularly migrating to USA looking for employment.

“It seems inexplicable to me that the approval of the 4,000 million dollars that they offered to invest in the generation of well-being in Central American countries has been so delayed in the Capitol,” Held.

On Wednesday, AMLO announced that his country will reinforce the border with Guatemala in the face of a possible massive arrival of migrants trying to cross into USA.

This could occur after the announced elimination of a US measure (Title 42), scheduled for May 23, that allowed the expulsion of migrants to prevent the spread of the covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Mexican authorities found more than 300,000 irregular migrants; While, in the last three weeks, USA daily detained some 7,800 undocumented immigrants in the border area, almost five times the average for 2014-2019.

Source: Elcomercio