“They are not alone! They are not alone!”. That was the cry of solidarity that dozens of activists, attached to various local organizations defending human rights, exclaimed to join the voices demanding an investigation and punishment for those responsible for the tragic death suffered by 39 immigrants, originating from various Central and South American countries, at the immigration station of the National Institute of Migration in Ciudad Juárez.
Led by members of the Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR), dozens of protesters carrying 39 crosses, between black and white, honoring the memory of the unfortunate 39, showed their courage and indignation at the actions of the Mexican authorities who practically let the the refugees who only wanted to cross the border to achieve the so-called American dream.
During the vigil-protest, the demonstrators demanded the immediate intervention of the presidents of the United States, Joe Biden, and of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who yesterday visited the border, but did not meet or respond to the pleas of the affected relatives, to end the trail of deaths that has increased in recent years along the border.
“The policies of Biden and López Obrador have continued to perpetuate hate and racism in our community and as long as that hate and racism continues, those men, women and children will continue to die,” said Ivonne Díaz, regional organizer for Texas Rising in El Step, after lamenting the tragedy of immigrants.
He reiterated that it is important to send a message to the presidents of both countries so that they take action and stop these racist policies, but above all that the people who are on their way and who are in Mexico be protected to avoid more deaths along the line. divide.
‘We are not alone’; ‘Change to immigration policy; ‘We are all immigrants, stop discrimination”; ‘stop inhuman immigration policies’, and ‘we demand an exhaustive, public and transparent investigation’ and ‘the governments of Biden and López Obrador are stained with blood’, were among others, the complaints exposed among the border community.
It was said that with the current expulsion policy that exists in the United States, migrants are forced to be sent to Mexico, a country that does not have adequate living or economic conditions to humanely receive those who seek safety.
And it is that instead of establishing humane solutions, the ill-conceived policies leaving the United States have unleashed more conflicts and unnecessary violence and have endangered the lives of hundreds of migrants.
“We want the government of Mexico and the United States to accept the responsibility they have, they are responsible for these deaths since they have forced these migrants to go through extreme situations,” said Irma Cruz, campaign director for the Border Network for human rights.
In his speech, he disapproved of the existing immigration policies in the United States that have deported them under Title 42 to Mexico, a country that has no security even for its own inhabitants. “And they are sending them there. They are already desperate to leave to make a better life, after fleeing their countries, not for fun but to have a dignified and good life.
He stated that in the videos that circulate on social networks it was clear that Mexico does not have a security protocol or a plan to deal with emergencies since it is sad to see how the guards pass from one place to another and nobody cares to open the door for them. door to get them out and rescue them from the flames and smoke.
“It is a rage, a fury, an anger to see because nobody helped them. It is very sad to see these images: she said through tears after understanding the desperation and anguish they felt for wanting to leave that place having the country they intended to reach so close ”.
“We demand an investigation and that it be known what happened and that those responsible be punished,” said the activist who, together with representatives of various organizations, raised her voice against the horrible tragedy in which four days No one has been held responsible for what happened.
indicated that shortly they will release a report of a series of documentation of abuses that have occurred throughout Mexico, highlighting the robberies, abuses, extortions at the hands of the Mexican authorities, next to the National Institute of Migration, the National Guard and municipal, state and federal police.
“We want to make public that people are fleeing and experiencing extreme conditions. There are no humane conditions to be there in the centers and that is what they are, they are not shelters as the president of Mexico said, they are detention centers with bars and under lock and key, ”she said indignantly.
And it is that according to the protesters, although the migrants have recounted horrible things about the Darién, the jungle located between the countries of Venezuela and Colombia, where they have suffered death, cold, disease and have seen mothers die with their children, the migrants recognize that the worst country they have been through is Mexico due to all the extortion and insecurity that exists. “It’s sad because it’s my country,” said the BNHR campaign director.
In turn, Yvonne Díaz said that it is frustrating to see all these kinds of situations that they face on their pilgrimage, “we put ourselves in their shoes and understand the desperation and the desire to get ahead.”
Like the rest of the activists, he explained that it is not fair that only certain countries are welcomed to the United States, which is why he demanded that these racist and xenophobic policies end to avoid more misfortunes like the one that occurred in San Antonio, Texas, where 51 migrants suffocated to death when they were traveling in a trailer, which was found abandoned and the latter registered in Ciudad Juárez where they died burned and suffocated by the smoke from the fire.
