Mexico has flown dozens of Venezuelan migrants back to the south of the country, as authorities step up the enforcement of measures aimed at stemming the flow of people reaching the United States, according to Border Report.
The outlet saw many migrants pleading to be taken to the Venezuelan embassy in Mexico City instead of a detention center in Chiapas, close to the border with Guatemala. Officials said some of them had been expelled from the U.S.
The measure comes a day after a report by NBC News showed that Mexico is stopping nearly three times as many migrants within its territory. Authorities interdicted in March over 280,000 people, the figure being 189,000 inside the U.S.
That compares to 193,000 in the U.S. and roughly 100,000 in Mexico in the same month of 2023. April figures are also comparatively lower compared to the seasonal uptick usually seen as the spring begins.
The Biden and López Obrador administrations have been increasing their coordination over the past month to stem the flow of people reaching the U.S., as the issue has become a political liability for Biden during the electoral year.
Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena has said the country committed to helping the U.S. reduce the flow of migrants to its southern border to 4,000 a day at most. They (U.S. officials) have the capacity to manage the crossing of 4,000 people along their border, but no more than 4,000," Barcena said.
The official explained that the initiative started to take shape in December, when unauthorized crossings in both countries reached a record. She highlighted, however, that migration is caused, among other things, by "failed economic models" and said that U.S. sanctions to some countries contribute to this.
"We are fighting for the elimination of sanctions and other political factors that hurt people; sanctions to Venezuela and Cuba don't necessarily affect the ruling class, they affect the people. That is one of the things we are advocating" with the U.S. government, she said.
In fact, a recent report from Mexican authorities showed that encounters of irregular Venezuelan migrants increased by more than 300% between January and March. The total figure is close to 90,000 people, compared to a little over 21,000 in 2023. They already represent the largest nationality of all irregular interceptions by authorities in the North American country and a quarter of the total.
Venezuelans have been a main target of Mexican authorities, with a recent report by AP highlighting that nationals are increasingly getting stuck in the country and unable to continue their journey, the dozens flown to Chiapas being the latest exampled.
In March, Mexico reached an agreement with Venezuela to deport migrants and with large companies operating in the country to employ others. Among the companies are brewers Empresas Polar and state oil firm PDVSA, as well as Mexican food company Bimbo and retailer FEMSA.
Mexico said it would also give about $110 a month over a six-month period to all Venezuelan migrants deported in an attempt to deter them from returning. The offer was also extended to Ecuadorians and Colombians.
However, a migrant speaking to EFE agency said the amount doesn't deter most people from taking the trip anywhere. "We are leaving because of our children's situation, for a better future. Since there is no work, we have to leave the country," Nirva Espitia told the outlet.
And the figures could increase even more depending on the results of the July presidential elections, with a poll from mid-April showing that that four in ten Venezuelans would consider leaving the country if Nicolás Maduro were to be reelected.
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