The National Institute of Migration (INM) of Mexico announced this Wednesday two rescue operations that led to the discovery of 88 migrants from various nations, including several Cubans.
According to the statement, the migrants received medical checkups, protective measures, and the appropriate administrative immigration processes were initiated. The first rescue occurred in the state of Veracruz, where 63 people were found in an abandoned tractor-trailer on the highway between La Tinaja and Cosoleacaque.
Among them, 48 were unaccompanied adults: 24 from Guatemala, one from Honduras, 20 from Bangladesh, one from India, one from Nicaragua, and one from Cuba, the INM indicated. The group also included three family units: one made up of four people of Cuban nationality, another with three people from Guatemala, and the last with three from Honduras. Additionally, there were five unaccompanied minors from Guatemala, the source noted.
The unaccompanied adults were taken to the Acayucan Migratory Station, while the family units and unaccompanied minors were relocated to the Centro de Asistencia Social América del Sur shelter in the municipality of Soconusco, Veracruz, to receive protective measures and determine their rights restitution plan.
The source further reported that in a second operation, the INM assisted 25 migrants rescued by the Mexican Navy (SEMAR) after being abandoned in a small boat in the waters of Boca Barra, in the municipality of San Francisco del Mar, Oaxaca.
This second group consisted of 19 unaccompanied adults from Cuba (9), El Salvador (1), Nicaragua (1), Ecuador (4), Guatemala (1) and Jordan (3); plus two Cuban family units comprising six members.
The INM pointed out that the adults were transferred to the provisional stay in Oaxaca to resolve their immigration status, while the family units were placed in the Casa Pato shelter, part of the State System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF).
More than 10,400 Cubans have been detained by Mexican immigration authorities during the first quarter of the current year, according to figures from the Migration Policy Unit of the Mexican Interior Ministry.
With this number, precisely 10,464, the Caribbean island ranks ninth among the countries with the most people detained in Mexican territory.
In total, Mexican authorities detected 359,697 "people in an irregular migration situation" between January and March of 2024, a 199.68% increase compared to the 120,029 in the same period of 2023, as reported by the EFE agency.
However, this situation persists. Last Tuesday, a caravan of hundreds of migrants left the city of Tapachula, on Mexico's southern border, after failing to resolve their regularization procedures.
Despite the recent meeting between the Presidents of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, migrants claim that the situation at that border zone is unsustainable, prompting them to head to Mexico City, cited the EFE agency.
The group is mainly composed of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Central America, Brazil, and Colombia. They departed from Tapachula, equipped with strollers and backpacks, the report indicated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Migrant Rescues in Mexico
Here we address some common questions regarding the recent migrant rescues in Mexico, particularly focusing on the involvement of Cuban nationals and the broader implications.
How many Cuban migrants were rescued in the recent operations?
In the recent operations, a total of 20 Cuban migrants were rescued.
Where were the migrants found during the first rescue operation?
The first rescue operation took place in Veracruz, where migrants were found in an abandoned tractor-trailer on the highway between La Tinaja and Cosoleacaque.
What measures were taken for the rescued migrants?
The rescued migrants received medical checkups, protective measures, and their administrative immigration processes were initiated. Unaccompanied adults were taken to migratory stations, while family units and unaccompanied minors were relocated to shelters.