Mexico City, Mexico – Ministry of Defense (SEDENA) Announce Soldiers deployed in the southeastern Mexican state of Chiapas shot dead six migrants on Wednesday, allegedly mistaking them for criminals.
Friday, President Claudia Sheinbaum Resolved She addressed the tragedy during a morning press conference. The new leader of Mexico who just took office commend The “humanitarian” nature of Mexico’s armed forces has revealed that authorities are working to identify the murdered migrants and have begun an investigation.
“Most of the victims have been identified and we are in contact with various embassies through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Defense itself has lodged a complaint against the shooter and investigations are ongoing.”
through a Press releaseSEDENA reported that troops patrolling at night on October 1 spotted a pickup truck traveling at high speed. According to authorities, the vehicle had characteristics similar to those used by criminal groups in the area. Troopers allegedly heard gunshots, prompting two troopers to open fire on the truck.
After further inspection, the soldiers found that the pickup truck was carrying 33 immigrants of different nationalities, including Egyptians, Nepalese, Cubans, Indians, Pakistanis and Arabs. Four of them were shot dead.
In addition, the military reported 12 injured and 17 uninjured. Authorities rushed the survivors to the nearest hospital, but two other migrants died from their injuries.
The six migrants killed were from Egypt, El Salvador and Peru, according to Scheinbaum.
Migration regulator Frontera Sur also report One of the victims was an underage girl.
“This is a regrettable incident that must be investigated and punished,” Sheinbaum said. “The person who fired the weapon from the Department of Defense has been turned over to the Office of the Attorney General (FGR), who has the responsibility to investigate how the incident occurred. , determine responsibility and assess whether any additional responsibility comes from the commander or just from the soldier who fired the weapon.”
On Thursday, Mexican prosecutors explain Two soldiers have been arrested and Interpol (Interpol) has been requested for assistance in coordinating information and resources with the embassies of the victims’ home countries.
Bordering Central America through Guatemala, Chiapas is a linchpin for migration in the Western Hemisphere, serving as a gateway for immigrants and asylum seekers from around the world.
According to local ReportSoutheastern states encountered a 24% increase in the number of immigrants encountered in 2024 compared to the previous year. As of July this year, Chiapas authorities recorded 229,379 migrants, a staggering 80% increase from 2022.
Unfortunately, Chiapas has also become a haven for organized crime, with Mexico’s most violent and influential drug cartels devoting resources and manpower to continuing to control the state’s drug, weapons and human trafficking routes.
The resulting wave of violence forced hundreds of people to flee their homes, fleeing the drug war, and into Central America.
