Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has announced the rejection of a U.S. request to establish migrant transit centers within Mexico. This decision comes as neighboring Guatemala has already implemented such a center where migrants can apply for U.S. work and refugee visas.
Despite a considerable number of migrants entering the United States from Mexico, President López Obrador has emphasized his preference for locating such centers in countries that are the primary sources of migration. He indicated that he intends to discuss this matter with Latin American leaders during an upcoming meeting he will host later in the month. The goal is to explore the possibility of a collective plan for these transit centers.
“We have been looking at setting up sites in Mexico because they (the United States) have asked for it,” López Obrador stated. “We have not accepted it; first, we want to talk to the presidents,” referring to the scheduled meeting with the leaders of 11 countries situated along migration routes. This crucial meeting will take place in Palenque, southern Mexico, and is expected to include representatives from Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Cuba, Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize.
The U.S.-funded migrant transit centers, already operational in Guatemala, are part of a broader migratory strategy aimed at managing the flow of migrants from Latin American and Caribbean countries to the United States. Plans include opening offices at eight locations throughout Guatemala to receive applicants with scheduled appointments.
The increasing influx of migrants has led to tensions between the United States and Mexico. Mexico recently sent a diplomatic note to the United States, expressing concern about the closure of some freight and train border crossings due to the large number of migrants gathered at the border. Additionally, Mexico protested Texas’ truck inspections, which have caused significant delays at border crossings. President López Obrador criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to enforce these inspections as “very irresponsible” and politically motivated.
Mexico’s national freight transport chamber reported that 19,000 trucks were delayed at the border, carrying approximately $1.9 billion in goods. The Texas Department of Public Safety justified the inspections as part of efforts to deter migrant placement and smuggling activities while ensuring vehicle safety.
